Shirley Yvonne Kinsey LaRue

Shirley Yvonne Kinsey LaRue, a 40-year veteran with the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the first Black teacher to work in the public school system in Ogden, Utah, died on June 2 in after a brief illness. She was 92.
An educator with a passion for teaching young children, Ms. LaRue taught at 75th St Elementary School; Loren Miller Elementary School; and the 96th Street Elementary School, among others.
Ms. LaRue was born on January 20, 1930, in Pocatello, Idaho to Ida and Melvin Kinsey. She was the third of five children and attended Ogden High School where she was the first African American elected to serve on the student council. As a high schooler, she won the district oratorical context and earned an "excellent" rating in the state finals.
After attending Howard University in Washington, D.C., Ms. LaRue graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in teaching. In 1952, she was hired at the Grant School, becoming the first African American teacher in Ogden City Schools--and one of the first Black teachers in the state of Utah.
In 1954, Ms. LaRue married Bernard Jacob LaRue in Chicago, Ill., where she continued her teaching career. In the mid-1960s, they moved to Los Angeles where they raised their family. She was also a member of EduCare, an educational organization for dedicated and committed educators for distinguished educators in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Ms. LaRue was predeceased by her husband; sisters Ethelda Kinsey; Velma James and Beverly Ransom; nephew Paul James; and niece Cidne Ransom.
She is survived by her son, Bernard Melvin LaRue of Los Angeles; daughter Anita LaRue of Washington, D.C.; son-in-law Arthur J. McAfee, lll; brother Carl Kinsey of Los Angeles; nieces Robin Ransom, Kathy Kinsey and Christine LaRue; and her grandchildren Jacob LaRue, Bailey LaRue and Dylan McAfee.
The viewing will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Angelus Funeral Home, 3875 South Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90008. There will be a graveside service Friday, July 1, 2022, at 10 a.m. at Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 Florence Ave, Inglewood CA 90301.