Della Reese: Singer, TV Star "Touches" OWCC with Arts Scholarship

10/01/2003

The first question is how does a world-renowned singer and actress Della Reese know anything about OWCC?

Well, it took an "Airport Angel" from DeFuniak Springs who touched the life of Della Reese a couple of years ago at the Los Angeles airport. The "Airport Angel" is Angela Seymour, who works for Delta Airlines and befriended Reese on her travels through the bustling terminal.

So, that's how the Della Reese Performing Arts Scholarship Endowment came to be. But, there's moremaybe.

"It's really a tribute to Della," said Seymour of the Emmy-nominated star of "Touched by an Angel". "She is an amazingly bright, talented and spiritual lady that truly walks with God. She has been and is a delightful and rewarding gift in my life and I love her very much."

"That's why I am dedicating the scholarship to the woman that who evolved from Deloreese Patricia Early to Della Reese, to my beloved teacher and counsel, the Reverend Della Reese-Lett," said Seymour of the singer who grew up in Detroit, overcame the early death of her parents, and climbed her way from nightclub gigs to fame and stardom.

Seymour has been kicking around the idea of a scholarship endowment with Reese and husband-manager Franklin Lett. "One day I showed Della a folder about the beautiful Arts Center at OWCC and she said, 'If Franklin says okay, its okay,'" Seymour explained of how the 72-year old star who also is known as the Rev. Della Reese-Lett and has her own church in Los Angeles, blessed the scholarship.

Now for the more part: Is possible Reese might come to performing and The Arts Center and let the proceeds of the show benefit her scholarship? Seymour says only maybe.

Yes, Reese, who stars as Tess, concluded the ninth and final season of "Touched by an Angel", might be persuaded to come to The Arts Center. "But she's very busy with her church, said Seymour, and she and Franklin have other businesses ventures going. We'll just have to see."

With a lengthy list of television, film and stage credits and her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Reese's bio sketch says she has "certainly not given up her first love of singing" and still performs in concert halls with symphony orchestras and music festivals between taping of her television shows. Says Della, "The combination of being outdoors and the surging crowds of a festival creates such an excitement in me that it makes me want to give more and more of myself."

When she was reminded about the college's new amphitheater with seating for more than 3,000 people combined with OWCCs own Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Seymour could only say, "Let's see."

After a recent trip to DeFuniak Springs to set up the Della Reese Scholarship, Seymour was given a framed poster of The Arts Center's Seven Dancers sculpture and got it back to Los Angeles just in time for Della's birthday where she showed it off to Della's "Touched by An Angel" co-star Roma Downey.

Dr. Bob Richburg, OWCC president, teased Seymour that the college "might have to put her the payroll" after the Della Reese Scholarship, her third endowment. She already has funded a scholarship for her late father, H.O. Seymour of DeFuniak Springs, and a nursing scholarship in memory of her mother Delores Seymour Strangi.

"I don't know of many community college that claim the distinction of having a Della Reese Scholarship and we are grateful for the gift to create the scholarship for this woman who has become a legend," said Richburg. "The only thing better would be to have Della Reese perform at The Arts Center someday. We truly appreciate Angela Seymour's contributions to our college."