Lerlean Kurney

Lerlean Powell was born to Norman and Bertha Pearl Powell, September 7, 1932, in Eldorado, Arkansas. Both parents preceded her in death along with two sisters, Elnora Morris and Ida Bell Stewart, and two brothers, Harrison Otis Williams and Joseph Powell.

Lerlean was educated in the Arkansas School District. She began her born again experience at an early age in the Holiness Church.

After the passing of her mother, Lerlean moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1950, at the age of 17 with her sister Elnora and husband, Ulysses Morris. She was employed in the millenary department as the first black female at The Jones Store, downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Her career entailed domestic work, employment at the Trail House Restaurant, on the Plaza, and University of Missouri Kansas City cafeteria, as well as the Myron Green Cafeteria.

Early on, her family dynamics consisted of one son Harrison Otis Jackson and two daughters, Ida Faye Powell and Elnora Powell. She married in 1976 on August 17, to Pinkney Lee Kurney and to this union was born one daughter, LaTanya Kaye Powell-Kurney. Pinkney preceded Lerlean in death.

As a young woman, Lerlean enjoyed life, shooting pool, good food, reading, fine arts and cinema, the sounds of Motown, the Christian sounds of Rev. James Cleveland, Evangelist Shirley Caesar, the Clark Sisters, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Tessie Hill, and many more. She enjoyed kicking it with friends, and loving on her family. Lerlean was a fashionista. She had a serious fetish for all types of trendy boots: ankle boots, knee boots, thigh boots, my boots, and yo boots. If it was a boot, fashionable and trendy, she had it. And shall we mention her envogue attire, and working in the millenary department being the first black female at The Jones Store afforded her access to every hat imaginable, and she seemed to have them all, including the classic pillbox hat. There were always gloves and handkerchiefs to match every dressy outfit. And pocketbooks?? You couldn’t count’em all. And to top it all off, you better not tell her she wasn’t styling in those chic cat glasses.

Lerlean was a proud member of the Sycamore Groves Senior Citizens Club where she served as a member, president and treasurer for serval years. She loved God with all that she knew. She was an avid student of the Scriptures and was no stranger to prayer. She joined, loved, and proudly served wholeheartedly in The Body of Jesus Christ Kingdom Ministries until her health begin to decline and even then, her love and devotion to God were yet still in her heart, mind, and soul.

Lerlean will forever live on in our hearts. She leaves to mourn one son Harrison Otis Jackson (Brenda) and three daughters, Ida Faye Powell, Elnora Powell (James), and LaTanya Kaye Powell-Kurney; 10 grandchildren: Cassandra (Edward), Carolyn, Lynelle, Melinda, Kimberly, LaCheryl (Eugene), Stephen, Kyia, Ayleah, and Janneaha; 13 great-grandchildren, two great great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, fur-children, and other relatives and friends.