Sybil P. Buford

Sybil Patricia Logan was born on January 14, 1936, to the union of Alphonso and Eleanor Logan. She was the eldest of five daughters. She was preceded in death by her mother (Eleanor Rachel Jones-Rector); her father (Alphonso Logan); her stepmother (Dorothy Logan); her sister (V. Angelen Scott); her grandparents and cousins (Leon Harris III & Francis Logan). Sybil departed this life on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

She attended elementary and high school in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She graduated in the top 10 of her class in May 1953. Upon graduation, she attended Arkansas AM&N College during her freshman year of college in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In the fall of that very year she journeyed to Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. Where she stayed and graduated with a Degree in Business Administration in May of 1957.

After working over a year in Nashville, TN, she returned home to Arkansas where she was encouraged to enter the education field. She began teaching in March 1958, at the Peake Elementary School in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. While there she returned to summer school and after several summers received her Life Certificate to teach in Arkansas. While in Arkadelphia, she met and married Joe Louis Middleton. To this union was born a son Joel Alonza Middleton in January 1961.

In 1962, she journeyed to New Orleans with Joel and took a teaching position at the Ephesus SDA Church School. In 1963, while visiting friends at Camp Shady Hill in Kansas City, Missouri she was encouraged to apply for a teaching position in the Kansas City School District. She was accepted and began teaching in August 1963. She began as a charter teacher who opened the Katherine B. Richardson Elementary School that year. It was the 1st round school in the Midwestern Area. While at Richardson School, she met and married Jimmie Lawrence Buford. To this union was born a daughter named Wanice Yvette Buford in December 1966.

While in Kansas City she returned to school to receive her life certificate for teaching in Missouri, which she obtained in 1968. She remained in elementary education until August 1979. When she moved up to the Junior High School level at Lincoln Junior High School. Later on in her teaching career, she was able to obtain her Master of Education from Kanas State University in Manhattan, KS in 1995.

She was a member of the Missouri State Teacher’s Association; and later became a member of the American Federation of Teachers Union; National Middle School Association; and National Council of Teachers in English. She was also a member of the nationally known ABWA Association for a brief period. Ms. Buford was a Linwood Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Temple member in Kansas City, MO. While there she held many offices in the church. She was also a member of the United Christian Women Group-A Association.

She leaves to mourn her passing her three sisters, Rachel Eleanor Grant from Hot Springs, Ark, Mildred Pearl Summerville, Hot Springs, Ark, Lois Eloise Natt, Hot Springs, Ark; her beloved children, Joel Alonza (Linda) Middleton, Chicago, Ill, and Wanice Yvette Buford, Kansas City, MO; her grandchildren, Darrien Alexander Buford, Kansas City, MO, Simone Patricia Louise Wells (Brandon Azim), Kansas City, MO; her great-grandchildren, Makenzie Rae Buford and Robert Alexander Lee Buford, Kansas City, KS; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and associates.

Visitation will take place from 10:00am to 11:00am on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Linwood Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Church, 4300 Linwood Boulevard, Kansas City, MO. A Homegoing Celebration for Sybil will follow at 11:00am. She will be laid to rest at 1:00pm in Mount Moriah Cemetery South, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO.