Uncrowned Community Builders

The former Bertha Skinner was born in New York City. She was the second of two children of Sarah Catherine Banks and William Augustus Skinner, Sr. She was a graduate of New York City Public schools. Ms. Laury earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Pain College in Augusta, Georgia and her master's in social work from Atlanta University.
In the 1960s, she developed the first infant day care in Buffalo as director of social services for Booth Memorial Home and Hospital. She later helped develop and served as the first president of the Buffalo Coalition for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention.
Mrs. Laury continued her interest in helping to reduce teen pregnancy when she joined the faculty at the University at Buffalo in 1972. As clinical associate professor and director of field education for the School of Social Work, she helped train hundreds of aspiring social workers. In 1993, she was named associate dean for community relations and continued in that position until her retirement in 1996. She also taught at Erie Community College, Buffalo State College, Niagara University and at UB's School of Policy and Management. She published research and presented numerous papers at professional meetings throughout the United States. She was licensed to practice by the National Association of Social Workers as well as New York State.
She was the first African-American woman to serve as president of the board of Health Care Plan and the first chairwoman of the Community Health Foundation of Western and Central New York. She also was a member of the executive board of the Western New York Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy. She served on the Governor's Task Force on Adolescent Pregnancy; the State Health Advisory Council; the Governorââ?¬â?¢s Advisory Committee on Day Care and the Advisory Board of Visitors for the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center. She also served as Vice President for the Greater Buffalo Area Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. She organized B.E.A.C.O.N. and was also a member of NABSW both professional organizations for African American Social Workers. She served on the Search Committee for a Bishop for the Western New York Episcopal Diocese.
Mrs. Laury was a member of the St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She received numerous awards, including the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Jesse Nash Health Center; the Community Service Award from the Visiting Nurses Association and Our Lady of Victory Infant Home; the Outstanding Citizen Award from Camp Minisink in Harlem for her lifelong commitment to serve and support of that organization. In 2002, the Health Care Plan named the new dental clinic in the Mosher building city of Buffalo ââ?¬Å?Bertha Skinner Laury Dental Clinic. In 2003, she was inducted into the WNY Womenââ?¬â?¢s Hall of Fame.
After her retirement from the University at Buffalo, Ms. Laury relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. She resided with her son, Aaron and his family. She also has one daughter, Catherine J. Laury Daniels. Ms. Laury died on March 3, 2012. She was 78 years old at the time of her death.
A memorial service was celebrated on March 24 at St. Paul's Cathedral in Buffalo, New York where her remains were entombed.