Homegoing Celebration, Funeral Service Set For Congresswoman Carrie Meek

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Homegoing Celebration and funeral service will be held for Congresswoman Carrie Meek next week.

Meek passed away last Sunday at the age of 95. Those who knew and admired her say she will long be remembered for her devotion to public service.

On Sunday, December 5th, a viewing will be held at Booker T. Washington Senior High School, 1200 NW 6th Avenue, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The following day, a wake will be held at Miami Dade College - North Campus' William and Joan Lehman Theater, 11380 NW 27th Avenue, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

On Tuesday, family and friends will attend a Homegoing Celebration at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, at 21311 NW 34th Avenue in Miami Gardens. It will get underway at 11 a.m. A funeral service will follow.

Meek, the grandchild of a slave and daughter of a sharecropper, was born April 29th, 1926 in Tallahassee.

During her storied career in public service, she had several landmark accomplishments.

Elected as a Florida state representative in 1979, Meek was the first African American female elected to the Florida State Senate in 1982. She was also the first Black professor, Associate Dean, and Assistant to the Vice President at Miami-Dade College.

Eduardo Padron, former President of Miami-Dade College and a colleague to Meek, said she really cared for the underserved more than anyone he has met. He said one of her goals was to make education accessible to all.

"At her request, we created an outreach campus, a center, in the middle of Liberty City, because she was concerned that many of the students in Liberty City did not have the resources or the means to get on two or three buses to get to any of the campuses of Miami Dade," said Padron.

Miami-Dade County Commission Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson said another of Meek's legacies is what she did for affordable housing.

"She enabled this whole entire county, as well as the state, to be able to cash in on the surtax fund, so we could help those who really needed a place to stay," she said.

Meek had three children: Lucia Davis-Raiford, Sheila Davis Kinui, and Congressman Kendrick B. Meek.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to The Carrie Meek Foundation, Inc., 4000 NW 142nd Street, Opa-locka, FL 33054.