OVIEDO, Fla. – Oviedo city leaders are honoring a woman who helped so many in the community.
Adeline B. Tinsley was a pioneer in leading by example and a founding member of Oviedo Citizens in Action, an organization that helps the underserved in the community.
Her daughter, Barbara Jenkins, said the street her mother lived on for more than 50 years is now paved in her memory after city leaders renamed Avenue B to Adeline B. Tinsley Way.
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“It’s going to go down in history that people will remember Adeline Baldwin Tinsley and all the good she did in her community and all the good she did for people,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said her mother dedicated her 86 years of life to serving others.
Cathy Hunt, the president of OCIA, remembered her contributions to the organization.
“She’s just been such a great community activist,” Hunt said.
Jenkins said her mother helped organize voter registrations and food drives. She also served as a youth leader at her church. But Jenkins said she is best remembered for her cooking.
“They knew my mom was famous for her sweet potato pies, also her collard greens and her potato salad,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said her mother died unexpectedly in 2019. Her family did not want her memory to be forgotten.
They worked with Danny McKinney, the treasurer of OCIA, to get the road named in her honor.
“We petitioned the city, we followed their guidelines, which was they would have to get the county GIS department and verify there weren’t any duplicate names in the county,” McKinney said.
McKinney said the process took more than a year due to delays from the pandemic. Last month, the Oviedo City Council unanimously agreed to change the name of the road.
Tinsley’s family was honored by the gesture. Her husband, Eddie Tinsley, said she would have loved this.
“I think she would love it very much,” Eddie Tinsley said.
Jenkins adds they are also excited because children and families will travel down the road to go to the new Boys and Girls Club that is opening soon. She said this will keep her mother’s memory alive for future generations.
“She was not just a citizen of Oviedo, she was a legacy in Oviedo, and she’s left her lasting mark here,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said the street sign is a symbol of what her mother accomplished.
“She’s looking down, she’s smiling, she’s thanking the residents of Oviedo, she’s thanking her family, OCIA, that you all honored me, you loved me and thank God,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said there will be a street naming ceremony on Saturday at 10 a.m.
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