Lula B Sinclair

Lula B. Sinclair was born October 13th, 1948 in Cascilla, Mississippi to the late Richard Taylor, Jr. and Lois Taylor. During early childhood, Lula moved to Memphis, Tennessee where the values of family were instilled in her.

Young Lula found a passion for her culture and education early in life. Once graduating from Booker T. Washington High School in 1967, she went on to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Lula graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Education from Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee in 1972 and earned a Master of Education with an emphasis in Remedial Reading from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1973. She also began her lifelong journey of friendship, giving, sisterhood, and teaching when she was initiated into the Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1974.

Upon relocating to Kansas City, Missouri, Lula become a devoted member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Lloyd Fields. Her kind words, reading lessons, and pronunciation corrections left an everlasting impact on the lives of the colleagues and students of the Kansas City Public Schools. In an effort to advance her career, she became a certified Reading Recovery specialist, emphasizing her belief that education was a lifelong mission. Her mark was left in the classrooms of Horace Mann Elementary, Whittier Elementary, Scarritt Elementary, and Satchel Paige Elementary until she retired after 36 years of service.

Known as Mama, Grandma, Lula B. the friend, or Ms. Sinclair the teacher, she was also known as Lula the giver. She lived by the motto “God blessed me, so I will be a blessing to others.” The definition of a local humanitarian, Lula regularly donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, sponsored families through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Foundation, funded scholarships for KCPS students, delivered gloves, school supplies, and basic necessities to classrooms after retiring. She was a walking example of living a life of service and she found her greatest joy in it.

Paying it forward every chance she could, Lula fulfilled God’s plan for her life and was called to “walk around Heaven all day” on May 26th, 2020.

Lula will be remembered for her bright smile, beautiful poetry, singing and dancing to some of her favorites including BB King’s and Marvin Gaye’s top hits, as well as, Down Home Blues, 24K Magic, and Classic. Her legacy will be continued through her gift of giving, lifelong lessons, and “WONDERFUL” words of wisdom.

She leaves to cherish her memory: her siblings Barbara Teal, Richard Taylor III (Ganette), Clarence Alexander (Shirley), Barbara Alexander, Dinah Taylor, Michael Taylor, Thelma Lewis (Ron), Andrew Taylor (Tara), Anthony Taylor (Debra), Melvin Taylor, and Tony Taylor (Sandra); her dear life-long friend, Freddie Sinclair, Sr.; children, Tori Sinclair and Freddie Sinclair, Jr. (Michelle); honorary children, Ulysses Butler, Chanida Dixon-Henderson, Aaron Smith, Travis Thonen, and Jamal Pruitt; grandchildren Dominique, Imani, Te`yah, Mikalah, and “Tripp”; nieces, LuJaclyn Richardson (Todd), Tanara Tate (Robert), Renata Powell (Charles), and Jevita Taylor and a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, friends, and colleagues.

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