Mary Geneva Dendy

Mary Geneva Dendy, Age 91, of Romulus, MI passed away March 28, 2020.

MARY GENEVA DENDY was born in Kansas City, Kansas on July 28, 1928. She was named after her grandmother Geneva and her mother Mary. She the oldest daughter of 9 children born to the late Rev. Paul Cooley and Mary Cooley.  Her siblings Paul, Marvin, Gladys, Freda, Betty, Timothy, Phillip and John played an integral part in her life (all of whom are deceased). She was very close to her oldest brother Paul and he nicknamed her "ARP". As a young child, she and Paul would be at Grandma Geneva's house on 8 Mile, where he would make people out of the stove ashes. Being the oldest girl she had to help her mother with her younger sisters and brothers. She says that's probably why she didn't have children of her own.

As an adult she's lived in several states but Atlanta, Georgia was home. There she had the opportunity to work with the Southern Christian Leadership under the direction of her great friend Rev. CT Vivian, a friendship that continues to this very day. While living in Georgia, she got the call to come to Detroit to work for the United States Postal Service. As they say she packed up and headed north, making her home at 3522 Merriman Road in Inkster, Michigan, planting roots there for 10 years until her retirement on March 24, 1979. After retirement, she moved back to Atlanta, Georgia for a short time after which she moved to Los Angeles, California. Mary was there for many years until she moved back to Detroit, Michigan as a last request of her baby brother John Cooley. In 2008 she made Romulus, Michigan her home.

Showing support for her family whenever and where ever she could. She rarely says "No" if you need her help. "We're all we got and have to be here for each other" "but before you can love anyone else you have to learn to love thyself properly." She has shared her favorite poem 'How to Love Yourself' with her family and friends. She will remind you that “You Are #1 and you should live your life accordingly.” She truly loved her family and she was excited that her great nephew Derris Cooley was born on her birthday and she always wanted to celebrate with him. Photos of everyone she loved adorned her apartment including the bathroom.

The Cooley Family Matriarch, MARY GENEVA DENDY was honored and recognized with awards and love from her family and friends on July 28, 2018, reaching a milestone of 90 years of life. Nearly two years later on March 28, 2020 at 6:50am at Beaumont Taylor Hospital, Mary made her transition to eternal rest. She leaves to cherish her memory…

Nephews: Lance Cooley, Daryl (Melissa) Nicholson, Bradford (Linda) Barnes, Steven (Vonda) Cooley, Clarence Seay, and Tim Cooley.

Nieces: Sheila Wilkins Sheil, Timisha Cooley (Sherwood) Davis, Valerie (Dennis) Mock, Elana (Arnold “Skip”) Slater, Desma (Johnel) Thomas, Andrea Cooley Bianchi, Vonda (Allison) Hurks and Lori (Charles) Horton.

Special cousins: Atlanta Georgia Councilwomen Cleta Winslow and mother Camille Winslow.

Special friends: Lillian Woods, Eula Evans, Sharlene Batterfield, Mattie Calcer, Stewart Warren, the US Postal Friends, the Whispering Willows Friends and all her friends from Michigan, Texas, Georgia, California, and Alabama and a host of Great (Great Great) (Great Great Great) nieces, nephews and cousins.