soul
of blessed memory
A Superior Civil Servant
G
ertrude Pinkney, 102, passed
away peacefully at Fox Run
in Novi, surrounded by her
loving family and dedicated aides,
Darlene Eliard and Ceylon Cheatham.
She grew up on Tuxedo
Avenue in Detroit and
attended Central High
School. Gertrude graduated
with a master’s in library
science from the University
of Michigan at age 20. She
served as a reference librar-
ian at public and private
libraries in Detroit, New
York and Washington, D.C.
Her friends included the Pinkney
economist Alan Greenspan
and the violinist Isaac Stern.
In 1944, she returned to Detroit
and was the founding librarian for
the Detroit Public Library’s Municipal
Reference Library (MRL), which
served the mayor’s office, city coun-
cil and other city officials. Gertrude
next moved to Washington to work
at the Bureau of the Budget and wit-
nessed the 1950 attempt on President
Truman’s life.
In the 1960s and ’70s, she
worked in the Detroit Public
Library’s Main Library and
again as chief librarian of
the MRL. She was the sub-
ject of a Detroit Free Press
article by Ladd Neuman,
“Not Every Civil Servant is
a Villain.” Upon her retire-
ment from the MRL, she
received a proclamation from
the Detroit City Council
honoring her service. She
continued her career as head of ref-
erence services at the Wayne County
Library System for several years and
led a team of reference librarians
at the 1980 Republican National
Convention.
In 1950, at a summer resort in the
Adirondacks, she met a New Yorker,
Irving Pinkney, and they married the
next year. Several years later, they
settled in Detroit with young sons,
Henry and Fred. Gertrude continued
her career while raising her family.
In addition to working part time and
then full time, she was an invited
speaker at Wayne State University and
authored journal articles and book
chapters
She and Irving were active mem-
bers of the Birmingham Temple.
She helped raise her grandchildren,
Michael and David who lived close by,
and Gabe and Greg whom she visited
in Washington, D.C.
After Irving’s death in 1988, she
lived in Farmington Hills and then
Fox Run in Novi. She started a “Know
Your Neighbor” column in the news-
letter, swam, exercised, cooked and
led an active social life. She traveled
with family to Israel and Cuba. At age
80, she made latkes for an elementary
school class and was always reaching
out to help family and old and new
friends. Ten years later, she was inter-
viewed in the book Positively 90 by
Connie Springer.
Mrs. Pinkney is survived by her
sons, Henry (Shelley) Pinkney and
Fred (Pam Sommers) Pinkney; grand-
sons, Mike (Brianna Lohr) Pinkney,
Dave (Deepa) Pinkney, Gabe Pinkney
and Greg Pinkney; great-grandchil-
dren, Ari, Aanya and Yohan.
She was the beloved wife of the late
Irving Pinkney.
Interment was held at B’nai
Israel Memorial Gardens in Novi.
Contributions may be made to the
Farmington Public Library, the Social
Justice Fund of the Birmingham
Temple or a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements by Dorfman Chapel. ■
WE ARE THE COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOME
We combine tradition
and personal service
in a modern world
ENTERING OUR SECOND CENTURY
OF CARING AND RESPECTFUL SERVICE
HebrewMemorial.org | 248.543.1622 | 800.736.5033 | 26640 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, MI 48237
jn
December 20 • 2018
39