Mrs. Colleen Thurmond Cooley, 86, of Union City, passed away peacefully at her home Saturday, December 23, 2023.
She was born February 4, 1937, in Obion County, the daughter of James Woodrow Thurmond and Eldora Garner Thurmond.
She was a member of the Union City Assembly of God.
She loved to bake cakes for friends and neighbors, especially carrot cake. Because of her love of baking, she was affectionately known as the “Cake Lady.”
In her neighborhood, she could be seen walking at 4:30 AM, as she would walk nearly six miles every day. She continued to enjoy walking in her final days.
She married the former Sidney R. “Pete” Cooley Friday, December 2, 1955.
She loved canning vegetables every summer from her husband’s yearly garden. Just like her husband, she enjoyed sports and fishing.
She coached her daughter’s Goodyear softball team in the late 70’s. She was a longtime fan of the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Team and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers Basketball Team.
She loved watching college basketball, especially during March Madness. She had a love for the Boston Celtics, as Larry Bird was her favorite player.
Whatever sports her children played, she was always sitting in the stands cheering for them.
She was a lover of birds and parakeets.
She was a faithful servant of God and a devout prayer warrior.
She was a devoted wife to her husband and a loving mother to her children, as she sacrificed so much for them. Her children were honored to have her as their mother.
She was preceded in death by her husband: Sidney R. “Pete” Cooley; two brothers: Kenneth Thurmond and James Thurmond; and her parents: James Woodrow Thurmond and Eldora Thurmond.
She is survived by her four children: Sheila (Keith) Powell, of Oakland, Tennessee, Shawn Cooley, of Tacoma, Washington, Sharon Cooley, of Smyrna, Tennessee, and Stan Cooley, of Union City; two granddaughters and their spouses: Karlie (Kendall) Minor, of Oakland, Tennessee, and Madison (Don) Mitchell, of Nashville, Tennessee; two great-grandchildren: Ella and Titus Minor; one step-grandson: Montana Powell, of Union City, Tennessee; one sister: Shelby Haynes, of Florida, and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, in the chapel of Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home. Pastor Tommy Hall will officiate. Burial will follow in East View Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home from 12:00 p.m. until the hour of services Wednesday.
Pallbearers will be Keith Powell, Montana Powell, Don Mitchell, Kendall Minor and Teddy Montgomery.
The family would like to express their appreciation to all the caregivers who took care of Colleen during her time at home.