Mother Shirley L. Stokes

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:29-30 The Woman Shirley Louise Stokes was born September 12, 1937, to the late Bishop Isaac Harrison Hundley and Elizabeth Finney Hundley in Hollandale, MS. She was the seventh child of ten born to this union. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers; Jake Hundley, Curtis Hundley, and Clinton Hundley, three sisters; Ernestine Whittington, Rosie Lee Smith, and Martha Zewalk, and her only daughter, Janice P. Boyd. She received her education in Sharkey County, MS, and completed her High School education with a career interest in sewing and home economics. Shirley was an independent thinker and feisty at times, but she always had goals and aspirations for her life. After high School, Shirley moved to Memphis, TN, to further her education and attended LeMoyne-Owen College, a private historically black college and the 5th oldest HBCU. In 1959 she earned an Associates of Arts degree in Home Economics. She also attended college in Farmington, MA, taking additional classes in other areas of career interests. While living in the Boston area she worked as an Office Manager for a magazine publishing company, which ultimately, prepared her for a lengthy career with Blue Cross Blue Shield where she retired in 1992 as a Team Lead in the Document Services department. Her love for sewing allowed her to hone becoming quite the seamstress, creating, and designing clothes for bridal parties, special occasions, and casual wear. Her Family Sister Shirley moved to Kansas City in the early 1960’s and settled down in marriage and was blessed with three beautiful children, David, Janice, and Alvin. She absolutely loved and adored her family! She would often share fond memories of her parents and some of the joys of growing up on a farm. She was incredibly happy about all her children and enjoyed spending quality time with them as well as her grandchildren Elizabeth “Lizzy” and Alvin Jr “AJ”. Her three great grandchildren, Jeremias, Janyla, and Jahira, kept her on her toes. A striking and attractive woman, she loved beautiful clothing, wearing hats, and spending time with family and friends. She was known as a globe trotter and traveled to nearly every state within the United States. She looked forward to traveling bi-annually to the Hundley family reunions and they were legendary! They were filled with lots of love, good food, volleyball competitions, and of course no family reunion started or ended without praise to God. Don’t forget the family prayer is the Hundley family mantra. She was an excellent cook, and many looked forward to enjoying her delicious dishes. Shirley counted it a tremendous blessing to be in a family with a rich history and legacy of serving God. Her Faith Sister Stokes was a servant of the Lord-- true saint. She gave her life to Jesus Christ at an early age and was active in various capacities of ministry in her youth and all her adult life. She received her Christian education and training from her home church, Hollandale Church of God, where her father, Bishop Isaac H. Hundley was the Pastor. Upon moving to Kansas City, she joined Boone Tabernacle Church of God In Christ under the pastorate of the late Elder Floyd H. Thuston and continued her membership under the pastorate of his son, Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston. While at Boone Tabernacle Sister Shirley matured in her faith and service to the Lord, serving as the local Sunday School Superintendent for 40 years. The Sunday School was a powerful arm of the church under her administration. She sponsored teachers’ meetings, field trips, banner competitions and picnics. She also served on the Mother’s Board, The Missionary Circle, The Christian Women’s Council, The Zion Singers and The Pastor’s Aide Committee. One of her greatest joys was coordinating annual trips to the Church of God in Christ Women’s International Convention. Many women from the region were invited to travel on a chartered bus (or two) to various cities across the country for over ten years. Many women’s lives were blessed and transformed because of Mo. Stokes’ travel ministry. Her brother, affectionately known as, G-Bob, worked for Greyhound and Crossroads Bus companies and served as their driver for many years. Perhaps the greatest honor and privilege of her ministry was being appointed to serve as District Missionary for the Wyandotte District by the late Bishop William H. McDonald, prelate of the Kansas East Jurisdiction at that time. She made sure that her district was always well represented and strived to involve everyone. She loved women’s ministry and was a mighty prayer warrior. She loved singing the gospel hymns. Even as her health began to fail, if you sang a gospel hymn or read a scripture to her, she would sing along or quote the scripture with you. God’s spirit was inside of her. She was indeed a woman of great faith. Her Friends She was a woman of hospitality with a kind and generous heart. She had a way of making others feel welcomed and at home in her presence. She spent her life helping and serving others and never asked for anything in return. She was a servant leader and a true friend. To truly know her was to love her. She often hosted family and friends in her home that were visiting or traveling through Kansas City. She enjoyed feeding others and many feasted at her dining room table. She did it all unto the Lord. She never met a stranger-- just people who weren’t friends yet! She had a kind and generous heart and will be missed dearly by a host of family and friends but never forgotten. On February 26, 2024, at 10:45 a.m., at the Kansas City Hospice House, Mo. Stokes went home to be with the Lord. She leaves to cherish her memories her two children David S. Stokes (Crystal) of Kansas City, KS; Al W. Stokes (Brenda) of Phoenix, AZ; two brothers, John Hundley (Millie) of Atlanta, GA, Gloster A. Hundley (Ethel) of Lee Summit, MO, one sister, Dorothy Marshall of Jackson, TN two grandchildren Elizabeth Patrice Boyd (Jermaine) of Overland Park, KS; Alvin Stokes, Jr. of Kansas City, KS, three great grandchildren, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2024, 1:00pm at Boone Tabernacle COGIC. Interment XII Gates Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 11:00am-1:00pm at the church. Services conducted by Lawrence A. Jones & Sons. Condolence may be shared on the website.

Mother Shirley L. Stokes

September 12, 1937 - February 26, 2024