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“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;”>Rev. Sterling G. Belcher entered the world on May 14, 2948 in Tulsa, OK to the loving and proud couple, Sterling C. Belcher, Sr. and Lydia Ann Green Belcher. He graduated from the historic Booker T. Washington High School with the class of 1966. He later attended Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, MO, where he received a Master’s Degree in Theology.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>At the tender age of 18, Sterling took on a leadership role during the Civil Rights Movement as President of the Youth Chapter of the NAACP in Tulsa. During this time, he was also Vice President of the Congress of Racial Equality in Tulsa, where he was one of the first people in the local area to participate in “sit ins” to break racial barriers. Sterling devoted much of his life to helping and advocating for others. He loved being in the presence of children and had a strong passion for helping youth. He established and coordinated many youth programs including serving as the director of youth ministries to Chicago street gangs and youth director of various churches throughout his lifetime. He was the Founder and Director of the Black Leadership Training Program, which provided jobs for average high school students in the St. Louis area so they could receive the proper training to do business and help prepare them to further their education. He also organized Young Eternal Souls (Y.E.S.) in St. Louis, which focused on getting children off the streets, an 80 voice gospel choir, dance group, and theatrical group that traveled and performed all around the St Louis area and surrounding states. Children from all walks of life were inspired and led to more positive outlets and a strong educational foundation. Sterling had a huge impact on these youth, many of them now fine and upstanding citizens in their respective communities today.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Sterling
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>was preceded in death by his parents, Sterling and Lydia Belcher; one brother, Leara Belcher; two sisters, Deloris Belcher and Phelo Drew. Remaining to cherish a lifetime of his precious memories are two sisters, Barbara Nelson (Lee Roy) of Springfield, MO and Linda Johnson (Willie) of Oklahoma City, OK; two brothers, Aziz Khalid (Debbie) of San Leandro, CA and Michael Belcher (Clarice) of Tulsa, OK; and a number of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.