Mary Alice Johnson Coplen Cook

Mary Alice (Cain) Coplen Johnson Cook was born September 28, 1934 in Westminster, Mississippi to Jack and Ethel (Hedges) Cain. She was educated in the Westminster Public School system where she graduated from Westminster High School.



Shortly after graduation Mary moved to Chicago and began working and raising her family.

Mary did what she had to do to provide for her children. She had a big family (13 natural and adopted children) and she didn't want them to go without. Mary did factory work, was a housekeeper at a hotel, a home health aide, a bartender, sales clerk at St. Vincent de Paul and she owned her own restaurant. Mary even tried her hand at farming for awhile.

Mary moved to Des Moines about 24 years ago.



When Mary wasn't working she loved attending church at Morning Star Baptist Church. She was a member of the choir and the Mother's Board. She loved to dance and sew; she made all the children's clothes when they were little. Mary loved to hunt and fish with her husband and she cooked what she caught. Monday nights, Mary was in front of the TV watching her beloved Bears, Bulls or Cubs. Mary loved entertaining friends and family. Holiday dinners were the best times unless she was going to an amusement park. Mary turned into the biggest kid when she got to ride the rides and eat the food. She was a real people person, and generous to a fault. She loved making people laugh and had a way of lifting your spirits when you were down. She was a member of the "Russian Roulette Bad Girls Club" and loved when you called her by her nickname-"Swinger".



Family was the most important thing for Mary. she loved being with her grandchildren. This year Mary turned 80 years old. The family threw a big birthday party for her. The children counted the generations of Mary. There are over 150 grand and great grandchildren. Mary was a mother, not only to her own children, but to the neighborhood children as well.



On December 7, 2014 Jesus called to Mary and she followed him to glory. Waiting to meet Mary on the other side were her parents Jack and Ethel Cain; her three husbands, Ira Johnson, Frank Coplen and James Cook; her children, Glenda Johnson, Jimmie Johnson, Brenda Coplen and Calvin Copeland, Sr.; her grand children, Naji Johnny Williams, Joseph Copeland, and great grandchildren, Tashanna Benson, Latue Hampton III, NuJaRay Williams, E'Nasyshia Smith and Samuel Pinegar; sister, Minnie Brown and brothers L. S. Cain, Warner Cain, Jack Cain and Ed Willie Cain.



Mary leaves to mourn her passing her children, Jannie Coplen (Nicholas Nance), Larry (Margaret Hutchins) Copeland, Luethel (Johnny) Williams, Mildred Coplen, Jacqueline Johnson of Atlanta, Ira Johnson, Ivan Johnson (Jennifer Fricsh) , Wanda Marshall and Willie Cooper, her sisters, Eva Gordan of Hazelhurst, MS, Bulah Marshall and Godsister Minnie Wilson; her best friend in Des Moines, Margaret Hudson, her church family and many, many friends.





Visitation

DEC 15. 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Henderson's Highland Park Funeral Home

3500 Sixth Avenue

Des Moines, IA, US, 50313



info@hendersonhighlandparkfuneralhome.com

http://www.hendersonhighlandparkfuneralhome.com Funeral Service

DEC 16. 11:00 AM

New Beginnings Full Gospel Family Church

555 E. Euclid Ave.

Des Moines, IA, US, 50313