Edmund Douglas Taylor Cooke Sr.
Edmund Douglas Taylor Cooke Sr., the son of Alberta Virginia Evans and Charles Jefferson Cooke, was born on November 30, 1913 in Mobile, Alabama.
He received the B.A. degree in history from Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi in 1938. He worked for the United States Postal Services for thirty-four years and came out of retirement to manage the Central State University Bookstore in Wilberforce, Ohio for several years. Edmund Cooke Sr. lived a life devoted to service to others. He helped to organize the first African American Boy Scout Troop in Alabama and continued his service to the scouts as a troop leader at North Street A.M.E. Church in Springfield. He was a veteran of World War II. He believed in actively serving and working to improve his community and held leadership positions in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Frontiers International Service Club and the PALS Club and PALS Foundation of Xenia. He was a strong supporter of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and held leadership positions at North Street A.M.E. Church and subsequently at Holy Trinity A.M. E. Church in Xenia. He also served as a delegate to the General Conferences of the A.M.E. Church and as a member of the Electoral College of the A.M.E. Church.
His devoted wife of 54 years, Cassie Corley Cooke, and his daughter, Judith Karen Cooke, preceded him in death.
He is survived by a loving son and daughter-in-law, Edmund Jr. and Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke of Fairfax Station, Virginia, three grandchildren; Wilhelmina Nilaja Cooke, Shani Malika Cooke and Calvin Painter Sr., one great grandson; Calvin Painter Jr., two brothers; the Reverends Clarence Cooke and Albert Cooke of Mobile, Alabama and Springfield, Ohio, respectively and many loving nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Visitation will be on Thursday, May 1 at the Robert C. Henry Funeral Home in Springfield from 2 PM until 4 PM and from 6 PM to 8 PM at Holy Trinity A.M.E. Church, 1230 Wilberforce-Clifton Road, Xenia. Funeral services will be Friday May 2 at 5 PM at Holy Trinity A.M.E. Church. Burial will be Saturday at 10 AM in Ferncliff Cemetery. Arrangements by the Robert C. Henry Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Edmund D. Cooke Scholarship Fund, Payne Theological Seminary.
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