Mr. Donald Broadway

BROADWAY, Mr. Donald - Age 60, passed away Sunday, April 28, 2013 at Hurley Medical Center. Family hour 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 6, 2013 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing at 11 a.m. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home 10:30 a.m. Monday. Mr. Broadway will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, and may be viewed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Mr. Donald Broadway was born May 30, 1952 in Flint, Michigan, the son of Martha V. Broadway and Frank Banyard. Donald attended Flint Public Schools; graduating from Flint Northern High School and later attended Mott Community College. He obtained employment soon after holding various positions; including working for the City of Flint Street Maintenance Department. Donald was a Drug Counselor in Tennessee; his passion and dedication to his vocal gifts were un-wavering, “That Man Could Blow”…. He participated in and won numerous talent contests, along and accompanied by his cousins “Man They Could Harmonize.” The highlight of his vocal career was meeting and singing with“Martha Reeves and the Vandellas,” in Detroit, Michigan. Donald loved looking good at all times. When he dresses his ensemble was complete from head to toe and he was not afraid to experiment with colors “Talk about a Sharp Man.” Donald was always for most of his life, physically fit, working out, dancing and Korean Karate; obtaining a Black Belt. He would in his spare time, gather up the young men of the neighborhood on the front lawn and teach them different Martial Arts techniques. Donald accepted Christ and was baptized in April of 1973 and shortly thereafter became one of the youngest deacons at Gethsemane Baptist Church in 1976, where he served until joining the United States Army and was Honorably Discharged in 1980 and became Pastor of a small ministry in Imlay City, Michigan. Mr. Donald Broadway leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Beatrice Griffis Broadway; 3 daughters, ShaLonna Davis, Dionysia Broadway and Jade (Chris) Young; 3 sons, Donald (Jamilla) Broadway of Eden Prairie, MN, Virgil Broadway and Calvin (Ferne) Griffis, both of Flint; 7 grandchildren, DonTrese, DaQuetta Broadway, O’Shea Blunt of Ogden, Utah, Jaela, Christa, Janiah Young, Marquinnis Griffis, all of Flint and Ahkeem Rawls of Minnesota; 3 great-grandchildren, DeChariae, Omar and Jaiceon, all of Flint; parents, Martha Vernice (Virvie) Spears of Flint/Grand Blanc, MI; 2 sisters, Virgilen (Thaddous) Williams and Cheryl (Jimmy) Crawford, both of Flint; brother, Frank “Smutt” Banyard; niece, Breyanna Williams; 3 nephews, Thaddous Jr., TaVonte’ and Taylor Williams, all of Flint; aunt, Barbara Bothers of Memphis, TN; a host of cousins; mother-in-law, Ernestine Turner; sister-in-law, Marthella Williams; brother-in-law, Leroy (Cleola) Griffis; a host of other relatives and friends including special friend, Cherry L. Broadway and special cousins, Terry McWright and Sharon Wells. Mr. Broadway was preceded in death by his father, Robert Banyard; grandparents, Tommie (Rosie) Broadway; aunts, Lula Mae Walton, Rosalee Cable and Juanita Cole; cousins, Daniel Walton and Stella Young. The family would like to express special thanks to the Veterans Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI and McLaren of Flint.

Mr. Donald Broadway

May 30, 1952 - April 28, 2013