Dr. Deloris Elaine Strickland Pinkard

Dr. Deloris Strickland Pinkard, highly regarded educator and community advocate, was born on October 22, 1944 to the union of Cornelius Strickland and Ella Mae Williams. At the age of 3, she was blessed to become the eldest child of 4 younger siblings later born to the union of her mother, Ella Mae with Andrew D. Jackson who reared her as one of his own.

In her early elementary school years, fully aware that this act symbolized her acceptance of Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, Deloris was baptized at the Eighth Street Baptist Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Later, during her teen and young-adult years, she was an active member of the Pleasant Green Baptist Church. After marriage to Ralph Grigsby, Deloris followed him to membership in the First Baptist Church of Quindaro. One daughter, Karisse Wynell Grigsby (Whyte), was born to this union. Deloris later married Robert H. Edwards and was blessed to rear and love his son, Robert Christopher, as her own. She always saw both of her children as precious gifts “on loan” from God. They were nearly college-age when Deloris married William G. Pinkard and added his 2 college-age children (William H. II and Nichole) to their family unit. All 6 members of this family-unit found themselves in college at the same time. After uniting with the Mason Memorial United Methodist Church, Dr. Pinkard served several ministries, later completing United Methodist Ministry Courses and Evangelism Studies through The Billy Graham School of Evangelism.

Deloris was from an activist family that encouraged education, civic responsibility, and strong Christian faith and ethics. As a result, she became involved in the Civil Rights Movement at the age of seventeen, walking the picket lines on Minnesota Avenue (the city’s retail district at the time) protesting the lack of hiring of Blacks in sales positions in the various stores.

Dr. Pinkard’s legacy to her family, to her many long-time friends, and the students whose lives she touched included her care for where they would choose to spend eternity, and was demonstrated on many occasions. She had a fun-loving personality, and she loved to dance. She cultivated the gift of hospitality, often opening her home to include friends at family gatherings until her mother’s age and illness required moving family celebrations back to her mother’s home. For more than 14 years, Deloris facilitated weekly Disciple Bible Studies in her home, with as many as 19 family, friends, and former students enrolled in the 32-sessions of weekly classes. In fact, cars lined her driveway and streets to the extent that new neighbors often asked whether there were Thursday night poker games held at her home.

She exemplified the “life-long learner,” and some of her friends teased that she was addicted to “letters behind her name”. She graduated with an Associates’ degree from the Kansas City Kansas Community (Junior) College following her diploma from Sumner High School. She earned 4 additional higher-education degrees; 2 from Emporia State University…. a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education; a master’s in educational administration; and from the University of Kansas… a master’s degree in educational psychology and research with a focus in statistics; and a doctorate in education with a focus in curriculum and instructional leadership. As a scholar, Dr. Pinkard has been recognized as a Cum Laude, Phi Theta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, and National Honors Society graduate. She was selected to lecture as Administrator-in-Residence for the graduate education program during a summer session at Emporia State University.

Professionally, Dr. Pinkard served the Kansas City Kansas Public Schools for 25 years as an elementary and middle school teacher, building principal, and District Director of Elementary Personnel. She also taught at Our Lady and St. Rose in the Catholic Diocese. For 2 years, she served as elementary principal and District Coordinator of Multicultural Education in the Center School District in South K.C. MO. Her concurrent participation as a curriculum writer and presenter for the University of Chicago’s K.C. branch of the School of Human Dignity was a source of valued accomplishment during the mid-1960s and 1970s. The KC Cadre of this academic group provided Black History and Sensitivity Courses across the Metropolitan KC Area. Filling the void of African-American curricula and culture (which were not taught in this nation’s public schools), led to many “forever friendships”.

Dr. Pinkard concluded the public education aspects of her career as Vice President for Executive Services and human resources executive at the Kansas City Kansas Community College. By the time of her retirement in 2000, she had established her own successful consulting company (DEP2 CONSULTING) providing trainings in diversity, education, strategic planning , and personnel for various agencies and businesses.

Dr. Pinkard was recognized in 4 “Who’s Who” publications: Who’s Who in American Education; Who’s Who Among African Americans; … in Executives and Professionals; and… of Professional and Business Women. She was celebrated as a “Woman of Distinction” by the Friends of Yates; as a USD 500 “Reasons to Believe” awardee; and was inducted into The Mid-America Education Hall of Fame in 2018. She co-facilitated the school bond passage to air-condition all K. C. KS district schools; facilitated the Citizens Committee to Study Government Consolidation; and in 2002 was named a “Christian Woman of the Year” by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She devoted 10 years (2005-2015) after her retirement, to sharing care of her mother with her siblings. She was consistent in community advocacy throughout her life. For several years, she chaired the K.C. KS United Negro College Fund drive (UNCF) and served as State of Kansas co-chair for the campaign. A continuous member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. since 1991, she served several terms as Connections (Social Action) Committee chairperson, as well as co-chairing choreography for Debutante Ball.

Advocating for humanity during various periods in her life, Dr. Pinkard served on numerous other agencies and boards i.e., 2 terms as the first Black president of the Kansas City Kansas Women’s Chamber of Commerce; 2 terms as president of the Sumner High School Alumni Association, Inc.; Board member of Yates Branch YWCA and of the Greater K.C. YWCA; served a 5-year term as the first Black female, internationally-elected to the University of Kansas’ National Alumni Board of Directors; was a founding member of the Holman Academy Charter School in K.C. KS; board member of the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project; coordinated the KCKCC’s paraprofessional educators’ program; served UMKC’s Herman Johnson Black Scholarship Selection Committee; The United Way’s Early Childhood Project; and served as a grant manager for a federal grant for teacher certifications in ESL education.

Even when a 2005 surgical accident resulted in a diagnosis of “legally blind”, she refused to quit giving back. In her later years, Dr. Pinkard refocused her community advocacy on serving Kansas City’s Area Agency on Aging and the State of Kansas’ Silver-Haired Legislature. She continued to invest time in her church through serving as an usher and communion steward, chairing evangelism ministries, and completed UMC certification studies for Lay Servant Ministries, Lay Speaker, and Certified Lay Minister.

Deloris was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Wm. Marvin Jackson. She leaves to cherish her memory: one daughter, Karisse W. Grigsby-Whyte (Hartzell Jordan); one son, Robert Christopher Edwards (Carrie); one adult granddaughter, Kristan Edwards; her siblings, Marshall Jackson (Gayle), Manuel Jackson (VaLisa), Marlene Haynes, one “play brother”, George Mansfield (Peaches), many nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of “gold AND silver” friends.

A visitation for Deloris will be held Thursday, April 7, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Chapel Hill - Butler Funeral Home, 701 North 94th Street, Kansas City, KS 66112. Funeral services will be Friday, April 8, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Mason Memorial Community Church, 3333 Wood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66102, with a visitation beginning at 10:00 AM. Graveside services will be immediately following in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.