Proverbs 3: 5-6
Alma M. Pryor joined the saints in heaven on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Alma was the second sibling of six children born to Mr. William Belton Jr. and Mrs. Alma Alieen Belton.
Alma was a native of Augusta Georgia and was educated in the Richmond County Public Schools System. She attended A R Johnson Junior High School and graduated with honors from Lucy Laney High School. Alma knew at a very early age that she wanted to be an educator. As a child, she would often gather her siblings and the neighborhood children to teach them on the front porch. After high school, she moved to Washington DC and began working for the US Department of Commerce. Later, she worked for US Department of State, where she met and later married her husband, the late Robert A. Pryor, Jr. From this union two children were born, Robert, III and Christina. Both children in adulthood followed in their parents' footsteps: Robert III pursued information technology and Christina joined the public school system as an educator.
In 1974 Alma accepted the challenge and joined the US Army. She tackled said task with confidence and determination. Alma was exceptionally proud to be a soldier. She greatly excelled in a short time, having earned merits and awards as indication of her dedication. She earned the National Defense Service Medal and Sharpshooter Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar M-16. In 1977, she was honorably discharged as an SP4. Alma went on to join Veterans Administration in the Office of Equal Opportunity. In that office, Alma was a standout and earned many accolades for her impeccable work performance. After 18 years of impressive service to the Administration, she was honored with the esteemed Outstanding Career Award.
Alma continued her trek in pursuit of education, earning a bachelor's degree in special education from the University of the District of Columbia in 1986. She attended Trinity University, earning credits toward her masters. Alma always loved teaching and learning and exhibited a strong capacity for teaching multiple intelligences. With DCPS this gift was well utilized where she taught Behavior Modification in a special education setting to a population which usually consisted of mostly boys.
Alma taught at Taft Junior High, Backus Middle and HD Woodson at Ron Brown Middle School. She retired after 22 years of service. Throughout her tenure, her classroom motto was, “Mutual respect is practiced here, expect to be respected.” Her gentle, stern teaching style quickly gained her respect among her students and the general student population. She was loved and cherished by all.
Alma immensely enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She loved interacting with them to learn what made them “tick”. She enjoyed watching them learn and grow.
Alma loved to ask questions and was a master problem solver.
She never encountered problems she couldn’t work out. Rather, she saw them as minor challenges in which she would, “state the issue and extrapolate backward to the root to determine a solution.” And she had an extra special knack in strategizing to locate lost items! She absolutely loved to read, to sew and really loved music. She loved mysteries and books by Sidney Sheldon. She had quite a collection of books from childhood to adulthood. Also in adulthood, Alma taught herself to sew! Among her prizes, she handmade a suit and a full-length wool coat. Her favorite song was I Hope You Dance, by Lee Ann Womack and she loved singing group Chapel Hart.
In retirement, Alma loved to keep abreast of current affairs, specifically that of the political arena. She held an especially fond interest in US and DC Council hearings, Presidential hearings, and other court cases. She would hand write copious notes in her notebooks regarding a current hearing or case. Friends and family members knew not to interrupt when Alma was on the case!
Alma leaves to cherish and honor her memory, her beloved children, Christina and Robert III (Sika); four grandchildren, Jeremy, Robert, Jaden and Yancy; her loving siblings, Mimi and Wanda; one great-aunt, Isabelle; loving niece and nephew, Jessica and Donte; and one great nephew, Adrian. She leaves a host of cousins, relatives, and friends.
Alma trusted the Lord with all her heart, was quite content with her life and loved living every minute of it. She loved to say, “Just keep on living!” And we plan to do just that. May she rest peacefully.
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