Delores Cooley

Delores Jean Passmore Cooley was born on April 6, 1941, in Lexington, Kentucky to the late Reverend Norman Lee Passmore Sr. And Lillian Beatrice Passmore. She was the oldest of three children. Delores graduated from Dunbar High School and attended the University of Kentucky. 

Delores started her journey with Christ at an early age. She was taken to church from the time she was born, baptized and made her decision to follow Jesus. She was a member of Saint Matthews A.M.E. Church in Midway, Kentucky under the leadership of her father, the late Reverend Norman Lee Passmore Sr. and for many years was the minister of music for her father’s church in Midway, Kentucky. She loved to travel to church conferences and admired the role of her mother Lillian Beatrice Passmore who was in the Saint Matthews A.M.E. Missionary Auxiliary. 

Delores became an entrepreneur and opened “Delores Beauty Salon” at the corner of 5th and Race Street in Lexington, Kentucky. In the salon alongside her were four beauticians, Joyce Wallace, Shirley Best, and the late Victoria (Vickie)Hayes-Williams and the late Joe Broaddus. The salon was successful on the East end of Lexington and a staple in the community.

Delores moved from Lexington, Kentucky to East Chicago,Indiana and she was joined in Holy Matrimony to Leroy E. Cooley on November 26,1980.

She was an entrepreneur at heart, she opened a shop in Calumet across the tracks while working Full time at Simmons Company in Munster Indiana. Delores had an awesome work ethic. Later, she partnered with a good friend in Chicago, the late Gloria Hinton and she worked with her as a beautician in Chicago at Lady Gloria’s Coiffures on 43rd &Cottage Grove in Chicago, Illinois.

She decided to return to college and attended Calumet College where she graduated and received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. In her mid-career journey, she worked for the State of Indiana, she had a calling to work in Social Services and for the State of Indiana Welfare Department and worked there until her retirement.

Delores loved her church, Saint Luke A.M.E. She spent over forty years on her journey in Saint Luke which started when she followed her Great-Grandmother Henrietta Shakespeare, who was a member of Saint Luke A.M.E. church. She loved the Saint Luke Choir, the Missionary Auxiliary and all the members. She loved the choirs in the community and the choir fellowships. Her favorite two songs were “I won’t complain” and “One Day at a time” and she lived the songs that she sang about. The indelible imprint of her music ministry and life shall forever be felt by all those who loved her. 

Delores had so much grace, poise dignity and strength. She was a positive woman of God who was not afraid of the struggles that life sometimes brings. She managed to conquer several of life’s battles because of her Faith in God and the strength of standing on the promises of God. She knew that the battle was not her’s but the Lord’s. 

Minister of Music Delores Jean Passmore-Cooley transitioned from her earthly tabernacle to eternal rest on April 28, 2021, she was preceded in death by the following family, her parents, Reverend Norman Lee Passmore Sr. and Lillian Beatrice McGhee-Passmore, her brother Hershael Austin Passmore,Grandmother Laura A. Passmore, Uncle William A. Passmore,Two Aunts, Mary Alice (Jesse) Coty and Hester Frith, Cousin Nina J. Frith-Bedford, and a special friend Victoria (Vickie) R. Hayes-Williams. 

She leaves to cherish in her memory, her husband Leroy E. Cooley and Son, Derrick (Theresa)Cooley, sister-in-law Shirley Cooley, her brother Dr. Norman L. (Ingrid) Passmore, Sister,Ruth Ann Scott, One Daughter, Delisa (Eric)Moss of Kansas City, Mo. One Son, Minister James Riley Henderson Jr. Of Lexington, Kentucky. Four Grandchildren, Lauren Dionne Moss, Eric Norman Riley Moss and Lillian Symone Moss of Kansas City, Mo., and Jasmine Renee Flores, of Lexington Kentucky. Three Great-Grandchildren, Victoria Isabella Barnes, Bennett Noble Barnes of Kansas City and Kason Jordan Downing. Cousins Reverend Constance J. Jones, Myrna (Derrick)Hackett, Mary Beth Frith, Diane (Joseph)King, Cheryl (Lynn) Frith-Brown, Carroll Ardenia Coty, Darroll Jesse Coty and William Austin Coty, Brooklyn Megan Brown, Attorney Elder Seth Lyndon Brown, and a host of relatives, close Friends, Martha Pearl Thurman, Venda Ray Harper, Mary Roper, Eleanor Magee, Mary Ridle, Co-workers & friends, and the loving devoted Saint Luke A.M.E. Choir, missionaries, and members.

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