Marie Cooley

Marie Jenkins Cooley was born June 18, 1930, to the late Tom and Annabelle Jenkins of Vossburg, Mississippi. She was the last of thirteen children. Mother Cooley attended school in Vossburg, Mississippi, and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. During her early adulthood, she married Reverend Henry Cooley, Sr., of Barnett, Mississippi. To this union, eight children were born, Daisie Alice, Juanita, Henry Jr., Wanda Jean, Clifford Roy, Edward Ray, Bernell, and Dionne Marie. Mother Cooley devoted her life to her God, her husband, and her children. Her life’s mission was to make sure her children knew the importance of having a full education, becoming well disciplined, to grow up to be independent, and to know the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior. She also knew that her role as a wife was to provide motivation and support to her husband as he became Associate Minister of Rosedale Missionary Baptist Church of New Orleans, Louisiana, pastored by Reverend Andrew Darby, Sr., Mother Cooley became a deaconess assisting in ministry with her husband. She knew her husband was called to pastor; therefore, she encouraged his heart to pursue this call of God, by which he became pastor of John The Baptist Missionary Baptist Church in Barnett, Mississippi. They served as a dynamic duo, leading many to Christ through precept and example. Mother Cooley was so excited to see her husband walk in the office of pastor, and she knew they already had a choir as each of their children were gifted with song. This ministry continued until the Lord redirected their path, and after a few years, her husband went home to be with the Lord. After the passing of her husband, she joined one of the Evangelical Ministries in New Orleans, passionately going into the highways and byways compelling others to come to Christ. Mother Cooley gathered her tracks daily, leaving home early in the mornings, not to return until the evening for the purpose of distributing messages of the Kingdom to all who would receive it. Mother Cooley’s prayer life catapulted, fueling her passion to see others saved and brought into the Kingdom of God. Mother Cooley was invited to join a local Baptist Mission Board, which was God’s platform to expand her ministerial territory of bringing the Gospel to the lost. She realized that her passion to care for her husband and family was from God, who was preparing her to go to the lost with the life changing message of Jesus Christ. She continued with the passion of evangelizing until she was forced to leave her home in New Orleans, Louisiana, due to the 2005 arrival of Hurricane Katrina, which caused her to relocate to Decatur, Georgia. Her realization that the misplacing of sorts gave way to an undying passion for the Word of God which elevated and gave birth to a vibrant praise for which she was not ashamed!!! Mother Cooley became a member of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastored by Bishop Eddie L. Long. Not long after joining, she was asked to join the Mothers’ Board which she was incredibly happy to become a part of. There she became highly active with the outreach ministry opportunities afforded her. The Mothers’ Board actively engaged each member to attend monthly meetings, all geared to further the ministry’s motto of “ Loving, Living, and Leading Like Christ.” Within a few years of joining, Bishop Long passed away, but the love of ministering to God’s people did not fade away from her heart at all. The last few years of her life had proven to be incredibly challenging Healthwise, but the love of God was ever-present comforting her. Although her eyes grew dim and steps grew short, her vivid and vibrant love for our Lord continued to reach out to her grand and greatgrandchildren. Preceding her in death were her son, Edward Ray; granddaughter, Gina Rochelle; daughter, Daisie Alice; and son-in-law, Dr. Lester M. Bynum. Mother leaves to cherish her memories: her daughters, Juanita Bynum of Atlanta, Georgia, Wanda J. Cooley of Union City, Georgia, and Dionne Marie Cooley of Atlanta, Georgia; chosen daughter, Reverend Dr. Gloria E. Wilson; sons, Henry Cooley, Jr. (Dr. Deborah) of Decatur, Georgia, Clifford Roy Cooley (Hope) of Jonesboro, Georgia, and Bernell Cooley (Bridget) of Loganville, Georgia. And 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Mother’s legacy of love, devotion, and servanthood will always perpetuate as the seeds that were planted in the fertile hearts of others. You have been an excellent and faithful mother. For this, we all thank you and will forever love you. Sleep on, precious mother, knowing that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! In God’s own time, we will see you on the other side

Tributes

Marie Cooley

June 18, 1930 - January 2, 2023