McAllen mourns loss of Nedra Kinerk, one of its biggest advocates who ‘truly loved’ the city

Nedra Kinerk, co-founder of Futuro McAllen (now Futuro RGV) smiles while wearing a sash celebrating her 92nd birthday in this undated photo. (Courtesy Photo)

Nedra Kinerk, who used her second act in life to highlight McAllen’s past and guide its future, died May 13, following a nine-month cancer battle. She was 92 “and a half,” she’d said.

Through 35-plus years as a Rio Grande Valley resident, Kinerk earned multiple accolades, including the 2001 citizen planning advocate of the year from the Texas branch of the American Planning Association; McAllen Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year in 2014; and namesake of City of McAllen’s Nedra Kinerk Citizenship Award.

As Kinerk navigated her terminal illness, she was crowned with honors. Futuro RGV established a Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk Emerging Leadership Scholarship; state Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra issued a state proclamation honoring Kinerk; and McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos and the city commission declared Feb. 24, 2025, as Dr. Nedra Kinerk Day.

“We will miss a wonderful lady with a heart of gold and a permanent smile,” Villalobos said. “McAllen is at a loss of the most civic-minded individual that truly loved McAllen.”

McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos leads Nedra Kinerk, a longtime community advocate, in an impromptu dance during a special recognition of Kinerk’s years of volunteerism on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Dina Arévalo | darevalo@themonitor.com)

Recalling the moment during Nedra Kinerk Day when Villalobos led Kinerk in an impromptu dance to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” he added, “McAllen will truly miss her, and I will miss my best dancer.”

Prior to relocating to deep South Texas with her husband Robert in 1988, Kinerk was an educator, first in public school and then as professor and top administrator at Indiana University’s Kokomo campus.

She was also active in politics, serving as an Indian Civil Rights Commissioner beginning in 1973. A vibrant liberal, she was reappointed by Republican leaders for 13 years.

In the Valley, she was co-founder of Futuro McAllen in 1999. The organization for civic betterment addresses important topics in the community through forums, discussions and events. In 2014, Futuro adjusted its name to include RGV and its focus to issues throughout Hidalgo County.

“Nedra had a huge impact on the City of McAllen …” said Laurel McLeaish, Futuro RGV board member. “To me, I always found it funny that most people didn’t know where Nedra stood on politics. Republicans claimed that she was a Democrat and Democrats claimed she was a Republican. She always wanted people guessing as to her political beliefs.”

She also became a part of the McAllen Centennial committee in the early 2000s, where she met Elva Cerda.

Nedra Kinerk seen smiling in this undated photo. (Courtesy Photo)

“As Centennial committee members, we accomplished a very successful celebration honoring 100 years since McAllen’s first train depot arrived,” Cerda recalled.

The committee created PalmFest Folklife festival, now known as Fiesta de Palmas. In addition, in 2006, Kinerk, Cerda and Spurgeon “Spud” Brown co-founded the McAllen Heritage Center.

“I know she was especially proud of the McAllen Heritage Center museum of history and culture and it gave her great joy every time she came into the museum,” Cerda said. “She simply cannot be replaced as a true friend, dedicated volunteer and community-oriented person.”

The museum will host its annual birthday party for Kinerk on June 30.

In this undated photo, Elva Cerda, center front, and Nedra Kinerk, second from right, join members of the board of directors in front of the McAllen Heritage Center museum of history and culture. (Courtesy Photo)

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