Ruth Virginia Golden Cooley

Ruth Virginia Golden Cooley, 88, departed this life and entered eternal rest on January 4, 2005, at Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center, Hanover, Virginia. Although a resident of Petersburg, Virginia, she had recently been living in Richmond at The Hermitage, a Virginia United Methodist retirement and continuing care community. Born and reared in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Cooley attended Duquesne University and moved to Petersburg, Virginia, after marrying her husband of 67 years, Attorney Robert H. Cooley Jr. A loving wife and mother, she supported her husband and sons in all of their endeavors and stressed God and Jesus Christ as central to a productive life. Staunchly dedicated to racial equality 67 years ago, Mrs. Cooley was a founder of the Junior Civic League, which stresses responsible civic action for African-American women; community service and economic self-help; and provides care and assistance to the needy, family counseling, education and tutoring services to the youth. The Junior Civic League is a vibrant organization today. Additionally, she was a 69-year member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Active in politics, she was a charter member of the Southside Area Democratic Woman's Club, and in 1964, met President Johnson at the White House regarding the Civil Rights Bill. Mrs. Cooley was a member of Petersburg's St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the oldest African-American Episcopal church in Virginia, and served as its director of youth activities, editor of the church newsletter and registrar. She also worked with the Episcopal Church Women in planning for the consecration of Bishop Charles Vache, as well as assisting him with a number of other projects. After arriving in Petersburg in 1937, Mrs. Cooley was a homemaker and then worked as the first African-American reporter for The Progress Index newspaper, where she authored the "Colored Dots" or Negro news section. Thereafter, she left the paper to become a legal assistant to her husband, where she fought for racial equality and justice and delivered legal services to Southside Virginia for over 35 years. In the late 1970s, after her husband joined the Commonwealth's Attorney office for the City of Petersburg, Mrs. Cooley worked in an administrative capacity for several years with the Petersburg Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Following that she served as secretary and director of activities at Gillhaven Manor, a senior citizen housing community in Petersburg. She was active in a variety of civic organizations and was appointed by Governor Wilder to serve as a member of the Commonwealth's Statewide Emergency Services Board. She retired in the late 1980s. Mrs. Cooley was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel Golden and Ethel Howard Golden; her son, Robert Henry Cooley III and daughter-in-law, Ruby Jean Carter Cooley; and an infant daughter. She is survived by her husband, Attorney Robert H. Cooley Jr.; a son, Colonel (Ret.) Howard Gregory Cooley and a daughter-in-law, Bettye Scott Cooley; three grandchildren, Alicia Cooley Hill (Richard), Dr. Michele Cooley Strickland (Tony) and Robert H. Cooley IV; great-grandchildren, Alicia Quille, Jaxon Hill, Virginia Hill and Alexis Strickland. She is also survived by two brothers, Samuel Golden Sr. and Robert Golden; a sister-in-law, Shirley Golden; and nieces, Patricia Golden, Pamela Golden and Beverly Redman. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2005, at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church, 228 Halifax Street, Petersburg, Virginia 23803 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow immediately at Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg, Virginia. Mrs. Cooley was a proponent of social action. One way to remember her is to help stem the epic healthcare crisis in Africa by supporting healthcare workers there. This includes workers assisting those afflicted by the great HIV-AIDS pandemic in Africa. Send donations to Africare Office of Development, In Memory of R.G. Cooley, Africare House, 440 R Street, N. W., Washington, D.C. 20001-1935. For further information, contact Mr. Green at 202-462-3614, www.africare.org. Africare will pool the gifts to provide the maximum healthcare support for needy members of a third-world village in an African nation designated by Mrs. Cooley's family.