Baby, You Turned Me Out...

You never know what you'll find on the internet. I was looking for another song and came across a remixed version of the UNRULEY one's song with Klymaxx. "All Turned Out" was a jam back in the day. Always a party starter and a song that would crowd the dance floor every time it was played. The song was first heard on the Girls Will Be Girls album released in 1982. Get ready for this cut to breathe new life. Márcio Vermelho, of São Paulo, Brazil has given the song an updated sound for 2011. Some remixed version of songs are reworked to the point of being unrecognizable. No worries here, you'll know this song. What was good just got better. I'm sitting here typing and rocking my head to the beat. Check it out!

Turned Out - Vermelho Edit by vermelho

Just Wild And Womanish!

Well, the UNRULEY one is at it again. All I've got to say is, this woman CANNOT, I repeat CANNOT be called predictable. I can't say when, but look for something EXCITING coming from her soon. Until then, here's a blast from her past. Yes, Dideo and Bessie's baby is a WILD GIRL!

Dideo and Bessie's Boy

Marvin and Bessie Cooley were blessed with two children; Marlene and Cheryl. Their daughter Marlene and her husband John were blessed with one child; Brandley DeForrest. He was welcomed with open arms into the Cooley Clan on November 26, 1978. Young Brandley was born two years after the death of his grandfather, Dideo. Many have said and the pictures prove it, Young Brandley looks very much like young Grandpaw Marvin. Brandley shows an interest in and has some knowledge of the Cooley family history. I'm certain what Marlene didn't tell him he learned from his Grandma Bessie and his aunt, the UNRULEY one. Young Brandley can perform a memorable RASTA remix of the hit, "Meeting In The Ladies Room." Handsome, intelligent, talented AND a Cooley. With these great features and so much more, this young man has a very successful life ahead. Happy Birthday, Brandley!

Bessie's Birthday

Some people go about life quietly doing "their thing." Never one to complain, upbeat, optimistic, offering advice and encouragement to everyone. These people enjoy giving a warm smile or sweet laughter when needed. That would describe Bessie Virginia Colbert, born on this day ninety-one years ago to James and Josephine (nee Robnett) Colbert. Bessie would marry her high school sweetheart, Marvin Cooley. They had two daughters; Marlene and Cheryl, the "UNRULEY" one.
Aunt Bessie could make you feel so comfortable, so at ease. If it was your first time meeting or if she had known you for years, she always greeted you with her beautiful smile.
"Both of my brothers married women that reminded them of momma," is what my grandmother Veltirea said many times. Being compared to Ethyl Cooley would be a high honor. Happy Birthday to Bessie Cooley. One of the kindest, gentlest, cool as a cucumber members of the Cooley Clan.

Dideo Cooley

MARVIN DEFORREST COOLEY

I never met him face to face, but I spoke to Marvin DeForrest Cooley on the telephone. Some thirty odd years later I can't say I remember all that we discussed. One thing I will always remember - his voice. My high pitched ten year old boy's voice was the polar opposite of his. Uncle Dideo's voice was deep, rich and warm, the typical Cooley voice. The next time we spoke he remembered I was Velt's youngest grandson. He got my name right and I was pretty pleased with him for that. I know Grandma made that call around his birthday in 1976. Today would have been Uncle Dideo's 91st birthday. We celebrate and honor the birth and memory of Marvin DeForrest "Dideo" Cooley.

Three Out Of Four Cooleys

This has to be one of my all time favorite family pictures. Veltirea, Doris and Marvin out on the town. That's COOLEYLOVE

What Is A Cooley?

I guess the grammatically correct way to say it is, "Who is a Cooley?" I can give the basics. We are the descendants of Lacy Cooley. Great-great-great Grandpaw Cooley had a couple of wives (Laura and Aggie - nee Lewis) and eight children; Seward, Derunia, Nashrum, Ruth, Bryce, George, Letta and Mark. To break it down more, we are the descendants of George and his wife Mary(nee Washington). It all began in the tiny town of Coaling, Alabama. George and Mary with sons Edward and Curtis moved from Coaling to Missouri in the early part of the Twentieth Century. George worked in the coal mines and Mary stayed home with the children, which included daughter Georgia Elizabeth "Lizzie". The family moved to Iowa around 1910. They lived outside of Ottumwa and eventually settled in Enterprise, Iowa - northeast of Des Moines. This is where Edward Cooley and Ethyl Johnson met.

Family Register Page of the Cooley Family Bible
On November 24, 1915 Edward and Ethyl were married in Uncle Frank's (Johnson) home by Reverend Bolling of Mount Olive Baptist Church. Edward and Ethyl Cooley had four children; Veltirea, Marvin, Eugene and Doris. That's it in a nutshell. Let's move on to our questions and answers section.

VELTIREA

Question: So, who would be a Cooley?
Answer: Anyone that can trace their lineage to Lacy Cooley.


MARVIN

Question: Does your last name have to be Cooley to be one?
Answer: Of course not! My last name isn't Cooley, but I will tell anyone, "I'm a Cooley." Several years ago, one of the Cooley cousins (she had the Cooley last name) told me I wasn't a Cooley -- at all. When I told Grandma Vel what the cousin said, her reply was, "I don't know what the hell she's talking about? You're just as much a Cooley as she is, or MORE!"


EUGENE
Question: How do you identify a Cooley?
Answer: That's easy! The person walking with their head held high is more than likely a Cooley.


DORIS

They are filled with COOLEYLOVE and COOLEYPRIDE.

Happy Birthday, Dideo

Dideo Cooley was someone you simply did NOT mess with. That statement can be made for any Cooley, but I digress. Marvin DeForrest Cooley was born October 14, 1919 in Des Moines Iowa to Edward Marvin and Ethyl Mae (Johnson) Cooley. Dideo was the second of four children born to the couple. He was educated in Des Moines public school system. After graduating from high school, Dideo would marry his high school sweetheart Bessie Colbert. Their first child, Marlene was born while the couple lived in Des Moines. When the family relocated to Chicago, a second daughter Cheryl was born. Seeking a greater life, the Cooley's relocated to Los Angeles in the mid 1960's. We celebrate the memory and love of Dideo on what would have been his 90th birthday.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! For all the fathers, father-like figures and the mothers that carried the load and made a way, this one is for you! Spend some time kicking back, relaxing and enjoying the day. I'm not a parent, but I plan to enjoy the day. Someone is going to barbeque and I want some! This is your day, dads. Enjoy it.

The Fathers from top to bottom; Edward Cooley, Marvin Cooley, Eugene Cooley, J. Walter Thompson and son Dennis, Tony and son Anthony

The Brothers

Every generation of this family has those special brother bonds. Thru the good and bad times, the brothers stick together. Pinkie Doolen Johnson can be credited with instilling a sense of togetherness, forgiveness and above all else, LOVE in her children. Those three very important "keys" have been passed down to each generation. All of these brothers (Johnson, Cooley and Thompson) have togetherness not witnessed in many families. This family has been BLESSED many times over. Like any family, we don't always see eye to eye.





Hell, we'll even fuss about it. Given a little time and cooler heads, it all seems to work itself out. To all the brothers of this fam, let's continue to love one another and others. Don't let hard feelings prevent us from being the "kool kats" we're destined to be.


The Brothers from top to bottom; Frank and Edward Johnson, Eugene and Marvin Cooley, Rev Earnest and Dr J.Walter Thompson, Bobby and Larry, Tim and Tony, Justin and Terry