Yvonne Starks Wilson

1929 - 2019

Yvonne Starks Wilson Yvonne Starks Wilson, 90, a long-time educator and retired Missouri state senator, peacefully passed away Monday, October 14, 2019 at her home in Kansas City, MO. Yvonne was born March 22, 1929, in Kansas City, MO, to Chester R. and Virginia D. (née Ruff) Starks who preceded her in death. Her husband of 61 years, James B. "Jim" Wilson"; two brothers, Chester "Sonny" Starks and Edward M. Starks; a sister, Virginia Gene Franklin; her son, James E. Wilson; and a granddaughter, Maphelle Kenyá Chamberlain, also preceded her. Yvonne spent 35 years with the KCMO School District as a teacher, consultant, and principal, retiring as Director of Elementary Education. She was the first African-American President of the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals, Director of the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, and President of Spirit of Freedom Fountain Foundation as well as serving on the Board of Curators of Lincoln University. She was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2004 after serving 5 years in the Missouri House of Representatives. Yvonne was a member of many county, city, state, and national committees and organizations that focused on matters of children, families, housing, education, and public safety, and she was always deeply involved with the betterment of her community. Her tireless work earned her numerous awards and recognition over the years including the naming of the 17-acre Yvonne Starks Wilson Park in the historic Leeds neighborhood where she was born and raised. It is the first KCMO park named after an African-American woman. Her memoirs, "Living Off Grandma's Sayings From Leeds to the Legislature", were published in Sept. 2019. Yvonne is survived by two daughters, Berishia Wilson-Chamberlain; Alycia Nichols (Ramon); a sister, Vivienne Smith; three granddaughters (Yvonne Chamberlain, Ebony Johnson, and Jamie Wilson); two grandsons (James Johnston and Justin Chamberlain-Dupree); five great-grandchildren, and a host of loving nieces, nephews, and other loving relatives and friends. Mass at 11:00, Thur., Oct. 24 at St. Louis Catholic Church, 5930 Swope Pkwy, KCMO. Visitation 10a 12p, Fri., Oct. 25, Watkins Heritage Chapel, 4000 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd, KCMO. Funeral service 12p. Entombment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, KCMO. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the Yvonne Starks Wilson Park Foundation, c/o Alycia (Wilson) Nichols, 4545 E. 53rd St. KCMO, 64130.