Uncrowned Community Builders

Ulrica Mesiah, a native Buffalonian was the oldest of three children. The former Ulrica Caldwell attended School 17 and was a graduate of Fosdick Masten High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education at Buffalo State Teachers College and a master's degree in education from the University at Buffalo.

She attended Canisius College where she earned a graduate reading certification. She was appointed a reading teacher in the Buffalo schools. She also was a trained Montessori instructor. She worked as a reading teacher at the former Diocesan Educational Campus, at Buffalo Schools 44 and 66 and at the Martin Luther King School, retiring about 30 years ago.

Mrs. Mesiah designed school newspapers and introduced her students to concert music in her classroom prior to their school visits to Kleinhans Music Hall. "She would play the music they were going to hear for a week or two," her daughter, Francesca, said. "She knew that once they knew the music, they would really appreciate it. And when they went to the concerts, they were well-behaved." Her daughter added that Mrs. Mesiah also would bake a birthday cake every month and bring it in to celebrate the youngsters having birthdays that month. "It was the idea of making it more than a reading room," she said.

Mrs. Mesiah was fondly known as Rica. She was active in the community serving as a founding member of the Buffalonians and a member of the Buffalo Branch NAACP, Afro American Historical Association, the Citizen Council for Human Relations and Blooming Hills. She was a volunteer for Women for Human Rights and Dignity. She was honored by the Buffalo Urban League for more than 30 years of volunteer work with the Urban League Guild.
She met her husband, Frank A. Mesiah, a retired teacher and past president of the Buffalo Branch NAACP, by chance when she attended Buffalo State. Needing a ride home from a picnic, she asked his sister for a lift. When the car arrived, Mr. Mesiah was behind the wheel. They were married in 1950. The couple had three daughters, Leza, Nicolette F. and Francesca.

As a young mother, she was active in the Campus School PTA, Kindermutters and Playmates, a play group where she choreographed all the dance routines for the annual shows.

She was also active for many years with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Gamma Phi Omega chapter. Attaining 25 years as a member she was a Silver Soror and served on numerous committees. As a member of the Debutante Ball Committee, she and other Sorors developed the Rites of Passage Program, which has been part of the ball for more than 20 years.

She enjoyed gardening, the arts, traveling abroad and shopping. She was known for her pineapple upside down cakes with fresh whipped cream.

Mrs. Mesiah was 94 years when she died.