Geraldine Ethlyn Pickens

Geraldine Ethlyn “Jeri” Pickens of Kansas City, Missouri passed away Tuesday evening on April 16th at the Hidden Lake Care Center in Raytown, Missouri. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri on December 7, 1934 and was the only daughter of the late Arthur White and Edna Mae Johnson.

Geraldine is survived by her sister Barbara Furka, nieces; Jautaunne Outland, Anita Cain, and Nephew Virgil Powell. Jeri also leaves behind two God sons; Bert Wells and Dorian Gist, plus dozens of other loved ones. She graduated from Lincoln High school in Kansas City, Missouri in 1954. After graduation she enrolled in Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, following in her mother’s footsteps to become an educator. Jeri dedicated her life to educating the youth of Kansas City.

She served as a teacher and then became home school coordinator for the Kansas City School district for over 40 years. Along with her position with the school district she also was elected to serve on the board of curators for her alma matter Lincoln University. She was also a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority INC, The Drifters, Women’s Missionary Society, The Lay Organization and the Kansas City Federation of Teachers. Jeri was a life-long member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and she was baptized at Allen Chapel in Kansas City, MO. As an adult she transferred her membership to Cain-Grant AME where she and her family worshiped for over 50 years.

Jeri became deeply involved with the organizations within her church home but none more so than the Missionary Society. After years of service Jeri was elected conference president of the Northwest Missouri Women’s Missionary Society serving under Bishop’s Anderson, Byrd and Bryant. Following the marriage to her late husband James Pickens, Jeri joined her final church home Christ Our Redeemer in South Kansas City, MO. Jeri was called home to her heavenly father at 9:45pm on Tuesday April 16th after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. As always, her sister was by her side along with grand and great grand nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Christ Our Redeemers AME Church 8607 Longview Rd. Kansas City, Missouri 64134. Visitation 2:00 P.M. Interment Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery. 

The family has asked that all flowers be sent to Watkins Heritage Chapel in Kansas City, MO.

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