Family establishes scholarship honoring local musician, mother

No church would be without a musician if the late Deloria A. Westfield had anything to do with it.

She dedicated her life to teaching music, first teaching her own nine children and then teaching her community.

"Momma was so determined to teach children to play that there would be some kids who couldn't afford it, (and) she would do it anyway," said Della Chislom-Harden, the fifth born in the family.

"Some kids would call and say 'I don't have a way.' She would jump in the car, go get them, give them their lesson and take them back home. And there were some when they got there, they'd be hungry and momma would cook and feed them. She was just so determined that she was going to teach kids how to play," she said.

The result is the Westfield/Chislom family and their students became leaders for worship services in several Chattanooga churches.

Three-year-old Antonio Westfield sings "Jesus Loves Me" with his aunt, Della Chislom, at Ridgedale Baptist Church on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 in Chattanooga, Tenn. They are launching a scholarship fund in their mother's name.

"She used to say musicians for the future," said Chislom-Harden, who teaches music at First United Methodist Church school in Cleveland and is pianist for Miracle Missionary Baptist Church.

Westfield's children and grandchildren will launch the Deloria Westfield scholarship fund in their mother's honor at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at Second Missionary Baptist Church. And her children and grandchildren aren't working alone. They're bringing a host of choirs from around the city with them.

Second Baptist, Miracle Missionary, the children's choir at First United Methodist Church in Cleveland and Greater Friendship Baptist are among the choirs performing.

A representative from New Mount Annie Baptist Church in Bakewell, Tenn., will also sing. Christin Deloria Barber will play piano. And Francis A. Westfield will sing.

The goal is to raise $10,000 for a scholarship fund. The scholarship will be awarded to a local graduating high school senior majoring in the performing arts. Fund organizers will start taking applicants next year, said Chislom-Harden.

The scholarship isn't limited to piano because Westfield also played the organ and she taught flute and fluteophone. Students interested in any instrument or in being a vocalist can apply, said Westfield's daughter.

Chislom-Harden stands among several of Westfield's children who achieved national or international recognition through music. Chislom-Harden won Miss Homecoming for Howard in 1977, and judges crowned her Miss Black Chattanooga in 1984.

Ralph James Chislom, the sixth-born child, played with Warren G's band during his "G Funk Regulate" tour around 1996.

He's also played in Japan and owns his own recording studio called Sky View. It was previously known as RC Productions. He produced two local groups, the HPG's featuring Little Peanut, and Mistic Click, which released the Tennessee Titans songs, "Here Come Them Titans" and "Y'all Don't Want None" around 2000 and 2001.

He released First Fruits, a gospel instrumental album of hymns this year and plans to release a Christmas album with original Christmas music next month.

And one of Westfield student's, Allison Bates, played piano in Carnegie Hall, said Chislom-Harden.

Three-year-old Antonio Westfield sings "Jesus Loves Me" with his aunt, Della Chislom, at Ridgedale Baptist Church on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 in Chattanooga, Tenn. They are launching a scholarship fund in their mother's name.

Westfield, who studied music at The Cadek Conservatory of Music in Chattanooga, directed the Greater Pilgrim Joy District Association Music Department and Choir for more than 25 years and led the choir to produce a gospel music album. She also served as president of the Eastern Regional B.M.&E. Music Department for four years.

She didn't demand that her children be musicians. She wanted children to do well regardless of their talent and interest, said Glenn Chislom, pianist for Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and assistant pianist at Westside Baptist Church.

Tyrus Chislom, her fourth born, is pastor of New Mt. Annie Baptist Church in Bakewell, Tenn.

All of her children participated in school choruses, said her oldest daughter, Valerie Akins Jennings. Elizabeth Renee Chislom Freeman, once played piano for the junior church at Westside Baptist, and the late Louis Jr. was a cartoonist and graphic artist.

Westfield's devotion to music spans nearly seven decades, said Chislom-Harden. Westfield taught music for decades until 2011 when she had a stroke and retired. She died at age 88 on May 17, 2016. Her obituary states she taught piano to more than 400 students in the Chattanooga area.

"She kept telling us, 'Don't forget me now,' and we told her 'How can we forget you? You made us who we are'," said Chislom-Harden. "We just wanted to keep our promise, to keep your name going."

Contact Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.