Vida Messer "Mimi" Coley

Vida "Mimi" Messer Coley JACKSONVILLE - Vida "Mimi" Messer Coley, a retired cosmetologist, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006, at the Community Hospice Hadlow Center. To celebrate the life of Mimi, family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. EDT today at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 4115 Hendricks Ave., in Jacksonville (904-346-3808). Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday at Southside United Methodist Church, with Dr. Wayne Wiatt and Dr. Gene Zimmerman officiating. Burial at Oaklawn Cemetery will follow. Memorial contributions may be made to the Stephen Ministries at Southside United Methodist Church, 3120 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32207. Born in Dellwood on Dec. 22, 1925, she attended public schools in Jackson County. She graduated from Greenwood High School and was valedictorian of her class. Mimi's first trip out of Florida came in 1944. She traveled alone by train to San Francisco to marry the love of her life, Paul Andrew Coley. Mr. Coley was a staff sergeant in the Army Air Corps during World War II and was stationed at Travis Air Base. Mimi was an active and well-loved member of Southside United Methodist Church, where she was a past president of United Methodist Women, a member of the Heritage Sunday school class and a member of the Rachel Circle of United Methodist Women. She was one of two quilters who designed and lovingly created a 54-by-75-inch celebration quilt for the 50th anniversary of Southside United Methodist Church. The quilt was framed, displayed throughout the jubilee year at special events and now permanently hangs in the Family Life Center. She and her family are primary sponsors of the Stephen Ministries program at Southside United Methodist Church. Mimi's family will miss her sense of love, sense of faith and sense of laughter. Holidays for the family included an opportunity to enjoy Mimi's world-famous pecan pie. Mimi's sister, Ann, moved to Jacksonville six months ago. Time has no boundaries when sisters are together. They were teenagers once more sharing the joys of everyday life. The sunflower was her favorite flower. Just as the large yellow sunflower turns to face the sun, Mimi turned to face God. With strength of character and her love of God, she was an inspiration to all. "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless before Him," Psalms 84:11. Mrs. Coley was the wife of Paul Andrew Coley Sr. for 62 years. She was the mother of Dr. P. Andrew Coley Jr. (and Kathy); grandmother of Veda Joy Rutledge, Erin Evette Coley, Andrea Carson Coley and A. Talmadge Coley; great-grandmother of Carson Coley Rutledge; sister of Ann Henderson (and Charles); aunt of many nieces and nephews; and special friend of Donna Signorile. Walk in peace, dear sweet Mimi.