Maurice Is Eighteen

Happy 18th birthday to Toyia Lynn's baby, Maurice.  

 It goes without saying, but your family loves you very much.

Grandma Needs To Cook Something!

Early Saturday morning I had a dream about Grandma. I like when that happens. Typically when I dream about her she's taking a moment out of her busy schedule to talk to me. That woman has got a lot happening now. She's constantly on the move. When we finished our chat, I walked into a kitchen in the dream. Not one I'd seen before, but it was a familiar and comforting place to me. I said out loud, "I wonder why Grandma hasn't cooked for me? It's been years since she's cooked and I'm gonna ask her to bake a pie or something." I turned and walked out of the kitchen. When I woke up I still had that idea on my mind; I have to ask Grandma to cook something. My day was off to a good start and my plan was to have my Grandma cook for me. It was somewhere while I was sipping coffee that I remembered WHY she's not cooked for me. There are those moments when I simply forget she's not with me in body, but most definitely in spirit. I didn't feel sad or depressed. I was happy I had a dream of Veltirea. She had a powerful presence on all of our lives; family and friends. I'm thinking the dream means it's time to get in the kitchen and get creative. I'll have to make an apple or cherry pie soon. I'm going to leave the peach cobbler alone. I made one for Christmas last year and I didn't like that disaster. Practice does NOT make perfect and I have no plans to do that again.

Snookie

Dennis Laurence
~Spring 1935~

When I saw this picture I remembered what Grandma said. "I wrapped up Snookie and put him in the wheelbarrow. He was a good baby, didn't fuss and I worked in my garden." She was speaking about her baby boy, Dennis.

Dennis Laurence
~Today~

It's a few years later and I don't believe "Baby Snooks" would fit in that same wheelbarrow. I may be wrong - what do I know???

Grampa Tony

I saw something familiar in my kid brother, Grampa Tony that reminded me of our grandmother Veltirea. I remember our Grandma sitting at the kitchen table, having a cup of coffee, glasses on face and reading the morning paper. The moment I took this picture, I captured Tony doing the same thing Grandma did. No, there was no coffee or kitchen table, but the paper and glasses were there. The desire to know of the lastest news events - locally and globally is an interest both share.

Tony (before he was a grampa) and Grandmother Veltirea - 1960's

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.

Cooley Cousins

Cousin Robbie deserves a shout out. The brotha made it to Des Moines! Yep, Robbie was there on Saturday. When he called and said, "Hey Cousin Timmy, I will see you in Des Moines." I believed him. We've not seen each other since 2002. It was time to reconnect. I told him I would see him on Saturday, October 23rd. Our paths crossed at Donna and Harry's home. It was nice having the chance to catch up. We've changed a little in the eight years that have passed. We're older, but we're still looking good. Ugly doesn't swim in our family gene pool. Rob and his wife Anita brought along their children for the day trip to Des Moines. Rob and Anita tried to see as many of the family members as they could. They saw quite a few in the many hours they were in town. It is true, time flies when you're having fun. We had a good time this weekend. Whether in Iowa or Minnesota, we'll have to do it again before an additional eight years passes.
Cooley Siblings Veltirea and Eugene; my grandmother and Robbie's grandfather.

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.

Veltirea Smokes?? It's Not What You Think...

Beautiful downtown Kewanee, Illinois

I am going to share something only an insider would know. My grandmother smoked for effect and not for the taste or desire. To watch her inhale and immediately exhale would be a hint. One other thing she would do was allow the smoke to billow slowly from her lips. Yep, all lies!!! She didn't inhale! I remember a few of the brands she tried. BENSON & HEDGES was the first brand I can recall. Years later she smoked "tall" cigarettes. Her all time favorites would be MORE MENTHOL and EVE MENTHOL LIGHT.
Veltirea, Tim, Aunt Daisy and Brenda

In 1972 we took a trip to Kewanee, Illinois to attend The Watts Family Reunion. We posed for many pictures at Aunt Daisy and Uncle Barney's house. This one shows Veltirea and her cigarette, which is more for show than smoking. I told her secret and I know she's giving me "THE VELTIREA EYE" -- I can feel it.

Timothy Celebrates Sixth Birthday in Des Moines

My sixth birthday was a memorable one. It was the first time I left town to celebrate my birthday. Grandma, Grandpa, Toyia and I stayed with Aunt Mac and her sons, Kevin and Michael. I'm smiling as I write. I smile because I recall how excited I was. My cake wasn't homemade, it was purchased at Dahl's - the grocery store where Grandma would shop whenever we were in Des Moines. Grandma and Aunt Mac allowed me to pick the birthday cake of my choice. I chose one with orange frosting, thinking the frosting would taste like an orange. I was so happy! That soon changed when we got home with the cake. I learned I had to eat dinner before I could have any cake. I don't recall the exact time, but I know preparing, cooking and eating dinner took an eternity in my six year old mind.

When we finished dinner, it was time for the cake. Before the cake was cut, candles were lit, a picture with my BIG cousins was taken, and "Happy Birthday" was sung. When I got the first piece of cake, I smiled and dug right in. It took what I deemed a long time, but I finally got to taste my cake. Though the frosting did not have any orange flavoring, the entire cake was good to me. That was thirty-eight years ago. I will always remember the fun time and love of my family when I think of my sixth birthday.

Happy Anniversary Bob and Vel

Today is Grandma and Grandpa's wedding anniversary. One thing we can thank Grandpa for is Saint Paul, which is home for us today. There was a new job waiting for him in Los Angeles. Before he moved to the West Coast, Grandpa visited friends living in Saint Paul. Some of his classmates from Moberly, Missouri had moved to Minnesota years before.

Spending time in Saint Paul changed his mind about the move to Cali. Grandpa decided the move would be to Minnesota and not California. Within a matter of days the new resident found a job. There was no more "California Dreamin" - this was home. Minnesota is a nice place to live, but I'd like to ask my Grandfather WHY he chose one over the other. Inquiring minds really need to know.


Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa - we love you.

For Grandma

Thank you for being you.

Press the play button to view the slide show.

Our Lives Changed...

It's amazing how quickly eight years have gone by. We discuss Grandma regularly. There's always some story to tell or special memory to share. I like that we do this and we do it often. I share as much as I can remember about Grandma with my 15 year old nephew, Maurice. I remember Grandma telling me about her experiences with her Grandfather, Edward Johnson. I want Maurice and ALL of the family to know the stories and in turn, know the people in the stories. On March 1, I celebrate my Grandma's life and not focus solely on her passing. She lived 84 great years and in a time that we now read about in history books. Veltirea Leonia was truly a PHENOMENAL WOMAN.

I Have Something For You

My grandmother was one cool lady. "I'm plain ole Vel." is what she would say. If you had a dumb moment and crossed her, she'd correct you. Some of the words she used will not be included in this posting. Some of y'all are saved folks, and I don't want your eyes to see such words. Anyhow, my grandmother was a woman ahead of her time. She always made a plan and worked it to completion. Grandma did not believe she could be held back. Being Colored (sidebar: for those that didn't know, in the early part of the 20th century we were Colored) and being a woman could not be considered a deterrent to her life. She fully embraced the person she was, Veltirea. Well, I said she was cool, so let me get back to that. After my grandfather died, my grandmother came out of retirement and accepted a part-time position at the Urban League. She enjoyed it. Working with the seniors program provided Grandma many chances to meet and work with various individuals and programs. I was home from work one day when she called. Grandma said, "I have something for you. I'll give it to you when I leave work." I started to smile. She said she had "something" for me. I wanted to know what it was she was giving me. I never liked surprises. I need to be in the know. So, I said, "Well, Granny -- whatcha got for me?" Veltirea said, "Pardon?" That one word reply said many things. It meant what I said was incorrect; grammatically and otherwise. I was supposed to correct myself, get it together and try again. Okay, take two. "Grandma, what do you have for me?" I thought that would make things good again. She said, "Oh, I'm not telling you. You'll see later this afternoon." That was not the answer I wanted. Though I asked a couple times more, she ignored me and went to the next subject. The conversation lasted a few minutes longer and ended. No further mention of the "something." I had to WAIT until she finished work before I could get it. I didn't like the idea of not knowing what I was getting, but I was happy! My Grandma had a gift for me. I was a grown-ass man of 27 years. This meant nothing. One of the holdovers from childhood. I would get excited when I knew my Grandma had a gift for me. Like an excited kid waiting for Christmas, I waited for Grandma's workday to end. Five o'clock would not come soon enough. I left at twenty minutes to five, a whole fifteen minutes earlier than necessary. I wanted to ensure I'd be at the Urban League on time. It was a five minute drive, but I wasn't taking chances. A little after five, Grandma comes out of the building. I see a big Carson Pirie Scott bag in her hand. I smiled as I got out of the car. I walked over to take the bag from her and said, "Thank you, for the gift." Grandma said, "Oh no. This isn't yours, it's mine. I bought a new bedspread. What I have for you is in my purse." Not a problem, I still had a gift coming. I opened the front passenger door for her to get into the car. When she was seated, I opened the backdoor and placed the bag on the seat. As I walked around the back of the car, I could see Grandma reaching into her purse. Once I was seated on the driver's side she said, "This is for you." She handed me a booklet on safe sex practices AND how to apply a condom on an erect penis. This was not what I expected. I'm not sure what I wanted or thought it would be? I knew one thing, "this ain't it." Grandma reached into her purse and pulled out several condoms. She handed those over as well. I asked her, "Why are you giving this stuff to me? Thank you, but I know all about this. I wasn't expecting all of this from my Grandma." She turned and said, "I know what's going on out here these days and I know you're having sex. I want you to be safe and protect yourself." She made it plain and simple. I was embarrassed then, but I laugh about it now. It cracks me up. My grandmother was far from being a typical grandmother. Not only was she my grandma, she was my friend. She always had my back -- no matter what.

A Couple of Cooley Cousins

I gave myself a day away from here. I wanted to ensure I'd have something fresh, or at the very least, interesting to write. Yeah well, it didn't work the way I thought it would. There are so many stories about the family I want to tell. My problem, which one do I tell??? While I think about it, here's a bit of news. Today, Bud's grand-daughter (Maria) and Velt's grandson, (Yours Truly) will spend some time together. We've not seen the other since the family reunion. A fun time will be had by all, I'm sure. Of course I'll take pictures. Oh -- that's a hint. I need more pics, family!!!

Seventy-five years ago today...

On June 13, 1934 in
Polk County, Iowa

Mister John Walter Thompson, of Lawrence, Kansas & Miss Veltirea Leonia Cooley, of Des Moines, Iowa were united in
holy matrimony.

Stop Doggin Me Around

Listening to music will remind you of days gone by. I found a song, "Stop Doggin Me Around" by Klique on Imeem.com. Originally, the song was recorded by Jackie Wilson in the 1950's. When the newer version of the song was released in 1983, I remember going to Montgomery Ward, in Midway Shopping Center, with Grandma to buy the album. She heard the song on the radio, and decided she wanted it. Going to buy the album didn't mean that was it. No, we had to look at other albums as well. I didn't understand WHY we had to look at almost all of them? When I purchased music, i'd get the one or two albums or forty-fives I wanted and head home. Grandma wanted to look at several artists, not just one. Once we were home, Grandma took her album from the paper bag and looked at the jacket; front to back. Meanwhile, Grandpa and I waited to listen to the song. A song she liked very much. One that made her purchase the entire album for it. We thought she wanted to listen to the song a.s.a.p. She liked Jackie Wilson's version, but she "very pleased" with the "new folks" remake. After reading the back, Grandma ran her thumbnail along the side of the jacket. She reached in and pulled out the album with the inner sleeve still intact. Another road block -- Grandma wanted to read the lyrics. No point in rushing her. She would not and could not be rushed. Grandpa said, "Vel, are you gonna play the record or keep holding it?" As only Grandma could do, she gave a roll of her eyes and an intense stare. She didn't say a word, but the understanding was there, "I'll play it when I'm damned good and ready." She took her time. Grandma removed the album from the sleeve and placed it on the spindle of the Philco Radio/Record and Eight Track Player. After moving the arm over, she pressed play. The record dropped, the needle gently landed and soon Howard Huntsberry could be heard singing, "You'd better stop, girl... doggin me around..." Grandma sat next to the record player and kept beat on her leg with her hand. She listened to the song a few more times and decided to play her Wes Montgomery eight track tapes. It's years later and much has changed. That old Philco Radio/Record/Eight Track Tape Player is long gone. I can spend hours in a store looking at music and never grow tired. One of those things I inherited from Grandma.