Shirley B. Kincaid

Shirley Kincaid, age 83, of Knoxville, Tennessee, went to her eternal home with the Lord on Saturday, September 9, 2023. She was born January 16, 1940, at General Hospital in Knoxville Tennessee to James and Arnola Banks.

Following her graduation from Austin High School in 1958, Shirley went to Clark University (formerly Clark College) in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Clark University, she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She married Sherman McDuffey during her senior year at Clark and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education before returning home to Knoxville, Tennessee. After giving birth to her daughter Yolanda, she began her career as in educator in the Knoxville City School System at Vine Junior High School, serving for over two decades. During that time she also pursued and obtained her Masters Degree in School Health from the University of Tennessee (UT) Knoxville, in addition to periodically teaching college-level courses at UT and Johnson University (formerly Johnson Bible College).

After retirement as an educator, Shirley served God and her community in many roles and positions, including job counselor; suicide prevention worker; advisory council member; home bible study teacher; exhorter; Vacation Bible School Director and Teacher; Sunday School Teacher; and director of several Christian outreach, education, and evangelism ministries for the Knoxville District, Chattanooga District, and Tennessee Conference of the A. M. E. Zion Church. In the early 90s she followed her calling to ordained clergy. Shortly after this she married William Kincaid, Sr. in 1995 and was widowed in 2003. She pastored six churches in the Tennessee Conference of the A. M. E. Zion Church before retiring in 2013.However, that was not the end of her discipleship as she continued to mentor, guide, counsel, educate, encourage, support and uplift others until the Lord called her home.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents James and Arnola Perry Banks; only sibling Yvonne (Leroy) Anderson, second husband William Kincaid, Sr. and first husband Sherman McDuffey.

She is survived by her daughter Yolanda (Lydell) Hammond, nephew Orlando (Rebecca) Anderson from Birmingham Alabama, Reverend Tonja Warren and Antoine DeVault (who she considered a daughter and grandson, respectively) many in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and friends to include the Banks, Hamilton, Kincaid, McDuffey and Perry families. Special thanks to Kim Ellis for the care provided to our loved one.

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