Alma B. Coke

Alma Bernice Coke, made her entrance into this world on August 7, 1940. She was born to the late Adolpheas Ricketts and Inez Clarke, in the Parish of Trelawney, Wakefield, Jamaica, West Indies.
Alma attended Wakefield Elementary School. After leaving school she became a skilled seamstress and began making her own clothes. At the age of 16 she left Wakefield and went to work as a domestic worker in Anchovy, St James, and then at 18 she moved to Montego Bay where she continued to work as a domestic worker.
Her love for the Lord began when she attended Sunday School at the Wakefield Baptist Church and then she was later baptized at the Wakefield Seventh Day Adventist Church. In September of 1959 while living in Montego Bay, she attended a service at the Church of Jesus Christ in Montego Bay under the leadership of the late Apostle Wilbur Peynado Sr. While she was drawn to the ministry, she was reluctant to be baptized again as she had already been baptized. The late Mother Myrtle Kelly told her that she would live to see her get baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Shortly thereafter, she accepted water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and received the infilling of the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
In August 1960, she went with a group of young people to a service in Kingston and young Brother Coke bought them ice cream and soft drinks. They returned in 1961 for another service and Brother Coke treated them even better, so much so that when they returned back to Montego Bay, they wrote to tell him thanks for his hospitality. This letter prompted Brother Coke to respond to the young people, but in Sis Ricketts' letter, he put a little extra in it. The extra was "I Love you and want to marry you". Sis Ricketts replied "are you crazy". She spoke to her pastor, the then Elder Wilbur Peynado and his response was, "not over his dead body". Eventually his persistence paid off and she yes and they were married on January 12, 1963 by the late Apostle S.A. Cole in Kingston. Their union produced five children; Wesley B, Joan, Jennifer, Janet and Christopher.
In 1969 Alma and Wesley immigrated to the United States of America to begin their new life. They settled in Paterson, New Jersey and started the process of setting up their family. In her early years she worked as a housekeeper where she cleaned several homes in Wayne, NJ. Many of those families that she worked for, would later become friends. In April of 1972, her family was finally reunited when they were able to bring their three oldest children from Jamaica to join their (baby girl Janet) growing family.
Once Wesley and Alma migrated to New Jersey, they became members of the Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic), Inc in Paterson, New Jersey under the late Apostle R.C. Williams where they served faithfully for 33 years. On June 29, 1975 she was ordained as a Missionary. She served as the Missionary President from 1986 – 1988 and would eventually serve a second term as Missionary President from 1993 – 1994. She also served as a member of the Usher Board, Fasting Team, Prayer Band and Visitation Team. As a part of the fasting team she would often leave her night job and join the late Bishop J.N. Welch and the other saints every Monday morning where they would seek the face of God for the church. She also enjoyed serving as an usher in the church. Oftentimes when she was asked to pray for the offering, she would end up shouting and rejoicing. One of the latter ministries that she enjoyed which became her true passion was the visitation team. Every Wednesday, she would pick up several of the other missionaries and they would travel throughout New Jersey visiting and praying for the sick and shut in. She loved to visit the saints in their homes and the hospital to pray and encourage them. She was often tired from her night job, but she looked forward to this every week.
In November of 1978, Alma began working at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Totowa, NJ as a Certified Nursing Assistant. She worked there until her retirement in February of 2002. Alma worked the night shift for 24 years so that she could be home for her children when they arrived from school. She would be responsible for walking and picking up Janet from kindergarten and then would drop off Christopher at pre-school. She prided herself in making her household a place of love and peace. She catered to her husband and made sure he was taken care of. She was an example to her three daughters of how a lady should take care of her house and a husband. Although she was busy with work and church, she taught her children how to keep a house clean. Consequently, one thing she stressed about was that there could be no dishes left in the sink or the dish rack. Another household trait that she gave to her daughters was her addiction to towels and sheets. Her three daughters will attest to the fact that they have developed their own obsession for towels and sheets.
In 1994 Alma and Wesley made the decision to move to Florida once they retired, so they purchased a newly built house and made it their vacation home till retirement. Alma's hope was to bring her mother, Inez Virgo to Florida where she could take care of her mother who was ailing. Unfortunately her mother passed away in 1995 before she could fulfill her desire. In August of 2002 Alma and Wesley moved to Boynton Beach, Florida where she would spend their retirement. Once Alma arrived in Florida, she continued under the umbrella of the Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic), Inc, and served as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ in Palm Springs under the current leadership of Interim Pastor Donovan Harrison. There she served as the Missionary President, Fasting Team leader and member of the Board of Trustees. She was loved by her local church and will be missed dearly.
Alma enjoyed crocheting and working on bible puzzles such as word searches. She used her skills of crocheting to make blankets, scarfs and hats for her grandchildren and many expectant mothers. Every evening she looked forward to watching Wheel of Fortune and many times you would hear her yelling at the contestants and giving them the answers as though they could hear her. She also served as an Avon representative for many years. Although it was overwhelming and time consuming, she enjoyed the interaction with her customers and other Avon representatives until she retired in 2017. Alma would also love to walk around her development. While on those walks she would meet ladies in the neighborhood and eventually become "mothers" to many of them. They would often sit on her couch and provide counsel, support and love.
Other than her children, Alma's grandchildren were very special and dear to her. Whenever she came to New Jersey to visit, she loved babysitting and spending time with all eight of them. Whether it was a soccer game, track meet or a Christmas play she loved watching them participate with all of their activities. Her desire was to live long enough to see at least one of them get married and she was blessed to have witnessed two of them marry. Due to the pandemic, she witnessed Justin and Bria marry via Zoom and was happy when the borders opened to travel to Jamaica to witness LaShawn and Nia marry. Her other wish was to live to be a great-grandmother. And at Thanksgiving 2021, Justin and Bria announced that they were expecting their first child in May. Although she did not get to meet him, he and the future grand and great grands will know how special their grandmother was.
Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 3:20AM, after a brief illness, Alma transition from labor to reward, surrounded by her loved one, in-person and virtual at Bethesda East Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Alma lived a fulfilled life. She loved her husband, her children, grandchildren, her family and her church family. More than all, Alma LOVED to pray. Whether it was on her bedside, at a fasting service, Tuesday night prayer service or Mount Vernon's prayer call. She lived a life of love and shared her love with everyone she met.
She is predeceased by her parents, Adolpheaus Ricketts, Inez Clarke-Virgo and Herbert Virgo.
She is survived by her loving husband, Wesley Coke of Boynton Beach, Florida; her children, Wesley B. Coke of Paterson, New Jersey; Joan (Michael) Morris, Sr of Paterson, New Jersey; Jennifer Coke of Clinton, Maryland; Janet (Adrian) Bullens of Houston, Texas and Christopher (Melodi) Coke of West Orange, New Jersey; her sisters, Velma Virgo-Clarke of Little Rock, Arkansas, Joycelyn Virgo of Paterson, New Jersey; brothers; Robert Thompson, Oswald Brown, Lascelles Brown all of Jamaica West Indies, Lincoln Brown, Ancel (Jacqueline) Chambers and Sefton (Verona) Virgo all of Paterson, New Jersey; nine grandchildren, Michael Morris, Jr, LaShawn (Nia) Morris, Justin (Bria) Morris, Camryn Morris, Bryent Coke, Brandon Coke, Bryson Coke, Madison Coke, Amyra Coke. One great-grandson, Denver Morris. A host of nieces and nephews; cousins, godchildren and her many extended church family and friends.