DR PINKIE ANDREWS FAMILONI DIES AT AGE 66 > YEARS. > > Dr. Pinkie Andrews(Familoni) of Pittsburgh, > PA,died on Tuesday, October 11 2006, in her home. She had > resided in Pittsburgh since 1965, when she relocated with > her then husband, Dr. Kayode Adegbola Familoni (a Nigerian, > they got married on December 25, 1965) from Troy- Albany, in > the state of New York. > > Born in July 8, 1940 in Stamford, Connecticut, > in the USA, she was the daughter of Jesse Maebelle Darby > Pollard and Pa Andrews , a World War one veteran. • • > She, (Pinkie) attended schools in Connecticut, New York City > and the Southern states of the USA before moving to Troy, ( > a surburb of Albany, the capital of the state of New York > State) with her late parents. • • Indeed, Pinkie had her > two children, namely, Brett Russell Andrews-Haynes and > Kayode Balewa Familoni, and got married in 1965, in Albany, > New York, > > On moving to Pittsburgh, PA, she worked > several jobs at the University of Pittsburgh and in some > communities colleges in the area , as well as did voluntary > work for many N.G.Os, non governmental organizations and > charity organizations in and out of Pittsburgh. • • She > also attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she > obtained her Bachelors, Masters and ultimately, a Doctorate( > Ph.D) degree in education and related fields. > > Dr. Pinkie Andrews, as she was later to be > known, upon her divorce, from her former husband in 1973, > was an activist and community leader in Pittsburgh, New > York, the entire east coast of the USA and Environs. • • > She was a member of the Baptist church from birth and later > she joined the Presbyterian Church, where she was noted for > her voluntary and organizational skills and work. • Pinkie > was also a mentor who worked with the male mentoring > programs of the Mt Arafat Baptist Church, Pittsburgh, PA, > where her funeral service was held on October 20, 2006. > > Pinkie Andrews was a life long member of > numerous clubs and organizations and particularly, Civil > Rights organizations and movements like the National > Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples, > N.A.A.C.P and the Urban League, the Republican Party, the > Rainbow Push coalition headed by the Reverend Jesse Jackson > and numerous other political and Civil organizations and > groups like, Y.M.C.A,(Young Mens and Womens) Christian > Association. • • She was (also) once the chair and > Director of the African American and African studies > Department of the University of Pittsburgh, PA.U.S.A > > Pinkie was once a Chairperson of the African > American committee of the NAACP, during which, she met > former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa and members > of his family. • • Indeed, Pinkie also loved cooking and > dress making and she was an avid sports watcher, aside from > her numerous political, voluntary, social and church related > activities. She was a published prolific writer and poet, as > well. > > Dr. Andrews was highly involved in the Civil > Rights movement, then led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. And > also in the anti Apartheid struggles, with her deep > involvement in the movements, including participating in the > demonstrations, matches and sit downs and boycotts and > struggles, e.t.c in the USA and Worldwide. • • She was > also very prominent in the United Nations Organization > (U.N.O), where she presented several papers and attended > several conferences, during the dark, but last days of > Apartheid in South Africa, and during the anti communist and > anti Vietnam war movement on the Vietnam and Korean wars. > > Additionally, Ms. Andrews , was highly > involved in several political and party campaigns in and out > of the U.S.A. • • Pinkie, as she was famously known, > campaigned for late Senator Heinz and Senator Arlen Specter > of Pennyslavania. • • She was also active and noticeable > in the Republican party at the state, international national > and local levels, particularly, among African American and > minority Caucuses of the party, where she contributed > greatly, to their activities. • • She was also highly > involved in the presidential campaigns of several > presidential candidates of both the Republican and Democrats > party, as from the early 1970s, when she became politically > aware and active, despite her being a registered and card > carrying Republican albeit for life. > > In the course of her political and social > activities, she met and socialized with the likes of > President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Winnie Mandela, > Mayor David Dinkins, Dr. Andrew Young, President Jerry John > Rawlings of Ghana, Alex Haley of the ROOTS fame, Mohammed > Ali, the boxer, late Major General Joe Garba of Nigeria and > Ms. Onyeka Onweanu, the Nigerian musician, • • Pinkie > also worked closely with Civil Rights leaders like Albert > Sharpton and Rev.Jesse Jackson, and celebrities like Oprah > Winfrey, Chief and late Chief (Mrs) Reuben Fashoranti, the > substantive Yoruba and progressive leader in Nigeria, late > Dr Chuba Okadigbo former Nigerian senate president whom she > once dated from 1965 to the early 1970s in the USA, • • > Among Pinkie’s (co fighters) and party friends were also > Corretta Scot King, Dexter King, Martin Luther King Junior, > Senators Heinz, Senator Arlen Specter, Kunle Sijuwade of the > K.S motels,Ibadan,Oyo state fame and > brother of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, • • > Among others of Pinkie’s friends,political allies or fan > friends were Tereza Heinz Kerry, President Bill Jefferson > Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton of the U.S.A, • Prince > Charles of Great Britain, Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands > and President George Walker Bush Jnr. of the U.S.A among > others. > > Pinkie Andrews Familoni was widely travelled, > in and out of the U.S.A, in her political, philanthropist > and social activities (and) particularly for conferences, > where she participated and presented papers in seminars and > lectures she was also hooked to ship cruises along the > Carribean nations( Bahamas and Jamaica etc) coastal waters > and beyond. • Dr. Pinkie Andrews trips included those to > Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, > Guatermala, the Carribean nations and islands, the United > Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, > Japan, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa ( several times and till > last year), Canada, Germany, France, Nigeria, Ghana, > Liberia, Ivory Coast, Russia and Italy, among other places > and nations. > > Ms. Andrews last activities were as a private > consultant to numerous organizations and the setting up of > an N.G.O and foundation. > > She is survived by two children, namely Brett > Russell Andrews-Haynes( born June 27 1964, in Albany New > York) of Pittsfield, Massachusetts; a writer and prospective > lawyer, and Mr . Kayode Balewa Familoni, a political > activist and businessman in Nigeria (born October 21, 1965 > in Albany ,New York) and the USA.many step children, nieces, > cousins and nephews and brother, James .D. Andrews of > Northampton, Massachusetts, and sisters, Rochell Morand of > New York City, Lottie Payton of Bascom, N.Y, Marybell of > Crestview, Florida, and Anne Andrews of Panama City . Her > two other brothers and one older sister, Lulu Dee Jones, of > Pittsfield, Massachusetts,(U.S.A) and perhaps, more from her > parents---died before her. > > Pinkie will be highly missed for her good > works in and out of the USA, and particularly, by her > children, family members and numerous nephews, nieces and > friends, colleagues and political associates and friends > etc. > > Her funeral or memorial service was held at > the Mount Arafat Baptist Church,271 Paulson Avenue in > Pittsburgh. Pa at 11 A.M. She was buried in the Cementary on > Oct. 20, 2006. May her soul rest in perfect peace. > > NOTE; Original article and Obituary cum > funeral announcement appeared in the Pittsburgh Courier ( > NEWSPAPER IN PITTSBURGH PA,USA) of October 19,2006. > > Kayode Balewa Familoni(Okadigbo) for the > children- >
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 10:58:19 +0000
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