CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF

REV. DR. CLEO P. MYRICKS

OCTOBER 16, 1924 – APRIL 28, 2020

Psalm 45:13,17

The King’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold… I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: Therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.

Cleo was born on October 16, 1924, to Robert L. and Susie B. (Jordan) Fowler in Cleveland, Ohio.  She was the third of 10 children born to a house filled with love, joy, laughter, and music. The family had a contagious zest for life and enjoyed all types of music from jazz to classical, but her greatest love was for the songs of Zion. As a young child, she would listen as her parents and their siblings gathered, laughed, and cried as they sang in harmony the songs of faith. As a teenager, she gave her heart to Christ at a revival led by Rev. Horace Sheppard, Sr. She never turned back from following Jesus and serving the Kingdom of God.

Cleo’s spirit was infused with bold courage and a regal sense of self-respect. These characteristics, together with a deep love for people and for God, informed her commitment to excellence in everything she put her hand to – music, teaching, family life, friends, service, and even to her clothing.

Service through music, however, was the golden thread that ran through her life from beginning to end. In 1947, Cleo started a girls’ choir at Robert Street Church of God (Akron, Ohio) that won a city-wide choral contest at the Akron Armory singing acapella, “You’re Gonna Reap What You Sow!” Later that year, while participating in “singings” around the Akron area, Cleo caught the eye of a handsome young bass singer who was featured in a gospel quartet. He asked if he could drive her home after the event. His name was Charles (C.J.) Myricks. They fell in love and were married that same year.

After graduating from the Gerber Cosmetology School, she became a beautician working from home while they started a family. The couple welcomed their first son, Ronald Eugene in 1950, Phillip Anthony in 1953, Charles James, Jr. in 1960 (to which C.J. was heard to exclaim, “Another Boy?” In 1962, their hope for a girl was rewarded, and Cleo’s heart was completed, by the arrival of Elizabeth (B-e-t-t-y) Irene. Cleo and Betty were inseparable for life.

Cleo loved her family! She was an ideal caring and doting mother. Her children were blessed to grow up in a stable home that was defined by the same love, joy, laughter, and music that she had enjoyed as a child. Cleo’s joy reached new heights when years later she became a grandparent. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She stayed informed on their pursuits and interests and would often begin shopping for their Christmas presents a year in advance. They were her joy, and they poured that love right back to her.

Whenever you encountered Sis. Cleo, you were assured of a welcoming smile and a warm embrace. Her gracious manner led to many lifelong friendships. She shared in a loving network of families, including her “Sister – Friends” at Robert Street Church of God. Their families grew together as a close-nit loving community, sharing the daily joys and challenges of life.

Cleo attended night school for 7 years and graduated from Akron University in 1968. She dreamed of becoming a teacher and returned to Akron U to obtain her master’s degree in Special Education in 1972. Cleo went on to teach in the Akron Public School system, retiring after 23 years of service in 1994.

Serving as minister of music for 44 years at Robert Street Church of God (now Arlington Church of God), Cleo developed a national reputation for excellence in praise and worship arts. She served under the pastorates of her father, Rev. Robert L. Fowler, and her brother, Rev. Dr. Ronald J. Fowler. Across the years, her church choirs recorded several albums of gospel music and hymns which were widely distributed throughout the Church of God.

Rev. Myricks’ ministry reached beyond her home congregation. Her energy, obvious talent, and anointing created a demand for her services to lead in music, instruct choirs, and to encourage other choir directors to strive for excellence. She led music workshops for individual congregations across the nation. She taught music and led in praise and worship at almost every major national and international gathering in the Church of God. For many decades, she traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and ministered abroad in over 20 nations.  In 1989, she assisted in the compilation of the new Church of God Hymnal. Her extraordinary service across the years led her to be the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Sacred Music Degree from Anderson University in 2007. In 2010, she was formally recognized as a “National Treasure of the Church of God” by Church of God Ministries in Anderson, Indiana.

In 1993, Rev. Dr. Cleo P. Myricks was tapped by the city of Akron to assemble and lead the 300-voice gospel choir for the inaugural Gospel Meets Symphony Concert. She was instrumental in selecting the repertoire and developing the chorus that would be joined as musical equals with the Akron Symphony Orchestra. She led this city-wide effort for more than 10 years.

Cleo was an avid “soul winner”!  She was a disciple who made disciples, who made disciples. Her love for music and the arts led her to become a champion for young musicians and artists throughout the Church. Leslie Barnes and Bernadette Salley became her most accomplished disciples. They traveled and served with her all over the world, becoming as daughters to her.

Cleo loved the National Association of the Church of God. She served in a variety of capacities, including teaching in the In-Service Training Institute (ISTI) for many years, leading music for Campmeeting (including the annual singing of “Let Mt Zion Rejoice!”), and finally becoming a cheerleader for fundraising efforts on Zion’s Hill. The last song she wrote (at age 94) was titled “Come to West Middlesex”. She unilaterally declared it the camp meeting “theme song”. That same year, she participated in the Campmeeting hymn sing to encourage the singing of the “Old Songs.” At the time of her death, she was planning to lead an expanded night of hymn singing at the 2020 camp meeting.

The National Association awarded her the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was to be presented to her at the 2020 camp meeting. God had a higher award planned for her, she entered into His joy April 28, 2020.

Cleo Myricks was preceded in death by her loving husband C.J. Myricks; parents Robert and Susie (Jordan) Fowler; brothers, Moses, Mark A., Robert L., Jr., and Russell C. Fowler; sisters, Mabel Robinson, Margaret A. (Trixie) Chambliss, and LeJuana (Bunny) Fowler; granddaughter, Ashya Myricks.

To cherish her life and memory, Cleo leaves behind her brothers, Ronald J. (Joyce), and Kenneth A. (Francis) Fowler; brother-in-law, William (Gladys) Myricks; sisters-in-law, Reba Fowler, Delores Smith, Gladys Davis, Estelle Lewis, and Carmelia (Harvey) Starks; sons, Ronald, Phillip (Denise) and Charles, Jr. (Sherilyn) Myricks; daughter, Elizabeth (Betty) (Michael) Lee; grandsons, Sekou, Jo Jo, Sergio, and C.J. Myricks, Marcus Lee and Timothy (Tammara) Humbert, Jr.; granddaughters, Nia, Clea, Kathryn, and Kristen Myricks; great-granddaughters, Nyéla Guthrie, Naja Williams, Cidni, Savannah, and Sequoia Myricks; great-grandsons, Axel Myricks and Julian Rosa.

Special Children; Larry (Diana) Swoope, Leslie (Ted) Barnes, Bernadette (John) Salley, John (Janelle) Rasnick; daughters-in-love, Miriam Green and Cathy Myricks-Panell; special grandchildren, Candace Collins, Andrew Collins, Frederick Walters, Lakeysha Jenkins, Jonelle Carroll, Billy, and Richard Senior.

Her many, many cousins, nieces, nephews, mentees, brothers and sisters in faith, and co-laborers in the Gospel.

We would also like to extend a special word of thanks to Pastor Diana Swoope and Arlington Church of God; Carmelle Scott for the program booklet design; Jeffery Rogers for the video production; Annabelle Foster for her loving care-giving.  The family extends special gratitude to Betty and Michael Lee, for their generous and incredible care of Cleo in their home during her last months. Their kindness enabled the “family” to have access to and enjoy Cleo, surrounding her with the same love that she had so freely poured over their lives. God surrounded her with His presence and peace!

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.