On December 20th 1954, Cyrel Dean Foote Sr. was born to Sarah Lee Foote and Roy Lee Roberts in Wichita, Kansas. “Deanie” (as he was affectionately known) attended Dunbar and Ingalls elementary schools. Deanie attended Coleman Junior High, Wichita High School South, and Fort Hays State University (FSHU) where he received both Bachelors and Masters Degrees in the mid 1970’s.
As a child, Cyrel was baptized at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church where he accepted Christ at an early age. As an adult he worshipped at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Wichita, KS until he relocated to Houston, TX.
Deanie excelled in Track and Field in High school and college. He was conference champion in the 440 yard dash at FHSU where he competed for four years. He created and presided over the first Black Student Union at FHSU. Deanie was president of the Black Student Union at Fort Hays and as an active leader on campus, he brought influential motivational speakers to the campus and major recording artists the “Spinners” to this small university in western Kansas for Homecoming in 1976. During his years at FHSU, he met and fell in love with Debra K. Mesa. They were married for 23 years and bore three children.
After graduation from college, Deanie worked for the University of Nebraska - Lincoln as the Director of the UNL Culture Center and brought speakers to have discussions about race relations on campus. Following his mother’s footsteps, he was very active in the Kansas State Democratic National Convention. In 1988 as a delegate, Cyrel was instrumental in bringing Jesse Jackson to Wichita to speak as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Cyrel worked as the Affirmative Action Director of Sedgwick County, Sedgwick County EEO Officer and City of Wichita Probation Officer. He even ran for office as a State Representative. He served as Director of Project Freedom and was featured in many articles across the nation for innovative work done with the youth programs and grant projects for the community. In 1996, Cyrel attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a Sedgwick County Delegate, as they selected Bill Clinton to be the democratic nominee. He was a very active member of the local NAACP and was an activists and pillar of the community. Cyrel, with other male leaders, took a bus load of black men of all ages to the Million Man March on October 16, 1995 in Washington, DC.
His true passion was the ASKIA Track Club. As the Founder and Head Track Coach of ASKIA, this is where he recruited and coached children from Wichita inner city neighborhoods. He taught them the fundamentals of track and field along with everyday life skills. Deanie was known as Coach Foote and he served in this capacity for over 10 years. ASKIA Track Club went to many AAU and TAC/USA Junior Olympics every year as a team with over 100 qualifiers. The team was comprised of kids that ranged from 7-18 year olds. Coach Foote taught the kids how to use their skills and talents to reach new heights outside of what they thought was possible. He also employed other adults to be coaches and mentors for the track club. These coaches worked tirelessly along with the whole club to raise funds for each season. During the summers, his wife Debbie and family opened their home to many track kids to live and have a space were they felt loved and safe. He touched the lives of hundreds and stood as a father figure to many kids from the whole Wichita community. Before his departure from Wichita, Cyrel served as a Teacher at Spaght Elementary School, formally known as Ingalls, where he became a very beloved educator for fourth and fifth graders.
Cyrel relocated to Houston, TX in late 2001. At the time of his death he was married to Danette Foote. He was a devoted husband and father to his stepchildren, Phasonta and Ashonta Allen. He loved track and field so much that he entered a Master’s race in 2006 at the University of Houston and at the age of 51 years old he ran a 9.1s 60m dash. Even while living in Houston, he still had a strong connection to the Wichita community. In October 2015, he was quoted in an article speaking about the Million Man March in 1996 and the current state of violence in Wichita. During his time in Houston, he continued working with the impoverished communities, especially young boys and men. He worked as a Vice Principal at Jaime House Charter School. Here he encountered many inner city youth that had been written off, but he was able to influence the students that were abandoned by the system and were academically challenged. He also worked simultaneously at A Fresh Start Treatment Facility, which was a place for young boys that were addicted to drugs. He worked with them on their recovery and with behavioral modification.
He is preceded in death by his mother Sarah Lee Dudley, father Roy Lee Roberts, and sister Carol Tucker. He leaves behind his wife Danette Foote; four children, Melissa Nicole, Danielle Lee, Tyrel Tyron (Kristi), Cyrel Jr. and foster son, Kenyon Hall; two stepchildren Phasonta and Ashonta Allen; two granddaughters Olivia and Thai-rah and grandson Sam; Four brothers and sisters from Wichita, Sterling (Rhonda) Foote, Aubrey Foote, Jill Brown, and Ila Riley; Seven brothers and sisters from Amarillo, TX. Wesley (Donna) Roberts of Wichita, Tim (Angela) Roberts of Sugarland, TX, Eric (Esther) Roberts, Faith Roberts of Amarillo, TX, Amelia (Marvin) Jones of Georgia, April Schaffer of Texas, and Julie Roberts of Amarillo; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that loved him dearly.
Cyrel's Celebration of Life Service will be held at Saint Mark United Methodist Church, 11:00 a.m. Friday September 7, 2018.
