In loving memory of Mary Lee Cooley. From the beginning of time, God has a plan for each of us, intricately woven into the history of the earth and the heavens. We each are gifted with the opportunity to impact everyone we come in contact with for the Glory of God. Although Mary (our loving Mother) toughness and perseverance. From the time she was a young girl with a sparkle in her eyes and beautiful smile, Mary knew that it was her role to help others to find and follow the narrow pathway to heaven. As I write this, I smile because I know she is the primary reason that I, my children and grandchildren are saved and will reunite with her again in heaven. In truth, there is no way for us to really ascertain the impact that Mary had on the world around her. From her time In Omaha, NE, working with inner city children, every weekend, so they would have access to a free lunch and a bus to take them to a Bible study, to the time in the Tri Cities when she jumped on the back of a bad guy with a shotgun and held onto him until police arrived…praying for him the whole time! The ripple effect she had on the world around us will continue for generations to come…I can just see the beautiful smile on her face as Jesus says, "Well done, good a faithful servant."

Mary was born on June 29, 1940, in Blue Rapids, Kansas, to Leila and Pete Ziegler; she was such a good child, she even won a real airplane for her parents! Eventually they all moved to the Tri Cities and lived near the water in what is now known as Columbia Park. She was the middle child of three daughters including her, Beverly and Elizabeth. Mary graduated from Kennewick High before meeting our dad (David Lyle Cooley). Somehow, she forgave him for being a cross-town rival, Columbia High graduate (now known as the Richland Bombers)! Mary and David got married in 1961 and raised their 6 kids in what may have been the calmest home in history…that is, until us kids added a little drama to the equation.

As her final days approached, Mary was happy, looking forward to seeing her Lord and Savior and reuniting with our dad whom she first met at a dance. I'm sure they are dancing in heaven now…knowing Dad, he found a nice bench, preferably by a fishing hole, where he could sit down and patiently wait for her.

Mary passed away peacefully at her home on January 7, 2025. She is survived by her sister Elizabeth, her sons: Mike (Lisa) Cooley; Steve Cooley; Christopher (Betsy) Cooley; Greg Cooley; Ken (Amy) Cooley; and her daughter, Kathy Cooley (Javier); and by her 13 grandchildren; Brandon, Zachary, Andrew, Vanessa, Jamie, Alicia, Kieran, Jacob, Joshua, Ryan, Joseph, Austin, and Troy, as well as six great-grandchildren.