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The way<br />
WE were<br />
Cheryl & Jehu Brabham<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
This love story is rooted in faith<br />
and wrapped in commitment. Not<br />
much has changed with Jehu and<br />
Cheryl’s relationship over the four<br />
and a half decades it has existed.<br />
Love and respect, with a deep faith,<br />
have been the theme of this couple.<br />
Cheryl Bryant Brabham was<br />
born in Jackson and has lived in<br />
Jackson or Clinton all of her life.<br />
She attended school in the Jackson<br />
school system and graduated from<br />
Provine High School in 1970. After<br />
high school graduation, Cheryl<br />
attended Hinds Community College<br />
for two years. She had planned to<br />
transfer to a college to finish her<br />
degree as a home economics major<br />
to become a teacher. “Jehu and I<br />
started dating in May of 1972, just<br />
as I was completing my sophomore<br />
year at Hinds. Pretty soon, I knew<br />
I was not going away to college, as it<br />
was clear we were in love, so I got a<br />
job with the state highway<br />
department until I could decide<br />
what I would do,” said Cheryl.<br />
Cheryl and Jehu’s relationship<br />
progressed and they got engaged<br />
Christmas 1972 and were married<br />
in May of 1973. Cheryl continued<br />
to work at the highway department<br />
until November of 1978, just before<br />
the birth of their first son, Grant.<br />
She became a stay at home mom.<br />
“My home economics studies were<br />
put to good use in raising our sons<br />
and running our household!” said<br />
Cheryl.<br />
Jehu Brabham was born in<br />
McComb, Mississippi. When he<br />
was three years old, his family<br />
moved to Ferriday, Louisiana. He<br />
graduated from Ferriday High<br />
School in 1967 and moved to<br />
Clinton to attend Mississippi<br />
College. Jehu went to MC on a<br />
basketball scholarship and played<br />
basketball four years there. He<br />
graduated with a degree in history<br />
and political science in May of 1971.<br />
In June of 1971, Jehu began<br />
working as director of youth and<br />
activities at Parkway Baptist Church.<br />
It was there at Parkway that he and<br />
Cheryl’s paths first crossed. Jehu<br />
was 23 and Cheryl was 20. Cheryl<br />
is a lifelong member of Parkway<br />
and her mother was the pastor’s<br />
secretary, so she would visit at the<br />
church, often. She was also involved<br />
in the youth activities program at<br />
the church. “We enjoyed visiting<br />
and talking with each other and<br />
soon became friends,” said Jehu.<br />
“Our friendship was formed<br />
by being involved through various<br />
youth activities at the church and<br />
through the staff interaction with<br />
her mother. We enjoyed each other’s<br />
company very much,” said Jehu.<br />
One Friday night after a youth<br />
activity at the church, Jehu invited<br />
Cheryl to get a bite to eat. “It was<br />
just a casual, friendly outing which<br />
quickly developed into a relationship<br />
where we fell in love. This ‘sort-of ’<br />
date became one of the very best<br />
investments of my life,” said Jehu.<br />
“I knew right away that Jehu was<br />
the man of my dreams!” exclaimed<br />
Cheryl. They prayed and talked<br />
about every decision they made and<br />
knew from the start that God had<br />
his hand on what was the beginning<br />
of their life together.<br />
Within the first month of them<br />
dating, they each knew that God<br />
had led them to the right one. “We<br />
had the same hopes and dreams…<br />
a home, children, a future with<br />
someone who loves you unconditionally.<br />
We both had strong work<br />
ethics, and most importantly, a<br />
spiritual relationship with God,<br />
who was leading and guiding us,”<br />
said Jehu.<br />
6 • November 2018
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