"We will only pass this way, but once" The Woman I Called: My Princess Who was this woman, old enough to be my grandmother and mother,... that so innocently stole my heart? "May your dancing feet, dance all over Heaven" This Foxy Lady Who Bids us Farewell~ "Child, what's your name? What a beautiful smile, you have," ...was your first question to me, the first time your eyes set upon me. Who was this woman, old enough to be my grandmother and mother,... that so innocently stole my heart? Who is/was Vernice Cook, who wrote her name, address, and phone number on a church envelope and handed it to me, asking that i called her? She is the woman whose confession I took. She is the woman who, while on her sick bed, that so many would call me, telling me, to 'not do anything for her.' Yet, she was the woman who taught their children for years. The woman who guided many into New London's Society of Who is Who." The vampires that would come out to suck her blood, even in broad daylight. The 'four-faced friend' who would betrayed her, even to the end, that morning; that morning. The coward of a paster who refused to give her credit for starting 'the peagant,' this "Virginia Ghal" who would remain a stranger amongst New London's group of 'blood-sucking' vampires. From a distance I sang her home From a distance, I said my goodbye. From near, I bid her sweet farewell... Who is she? She was a woman, a strong woman with courage, with guts, with love. Who was Vernice Cook? She was the woman that God shines his light around, who had a friend. Who is She? The woman whom I loved dearly, another school teacher, someone whose journey had begun, and needed an intercessor. Someone sent by God. "Hark the Shephard, Voice I hear, who will go and work today, Fields are white and Harvest waiting; Here am I, send me; send me.." As she came to bid me well, and to thank me for been her friend. I watched the pigeons flies. For she was no longer alone. Neither was he. From the old Nursing home window, I had watched him. He was so faithful. As faithful as I was to her in my daily visits. He would come, and never leave. He would walked me home, even as I walked home, alone, in deep snow, cold and tired. He would watch over me; just for her. Her memory was fading... and he knew it..... He did what she would want done; this daughter of a Preacherman..... ~Vernice Wilhelmina Barnes Cook~ He understood this fiery, feisty woman, the woman he loved and marry. The woman whose spirit went back to the place she visited last, years before, and that would have been her last journey. I knew that day; she did too, as I led her back to the car. God has taken the pains; she couldn't bear anymore... Together they walked hands in hands, to tell me thanks. And Thank You~ ~for watching from a distance.. ~Vernice Wilhelmina Barnes Cook~ The Woman I Called: My Princess Why the elephants? Mrs. Cook had a collection of elephants.	New London - Ethel Mae Martin Dearest Ms. Martin. I remembered the times i sat with you in church, as you reminded me that i was 'still a child'. I remembered the laughter we share together as 'that little group', enjoying the morning service at Shiloh. I remeber the times we share with our dear friend Mrs. Cook, who had depart this life. So here is my farewell to you, dear lady as you join the rest of the gang. And i know you never 'tell your age' so i wont guess it either. Thank you for been my friends. Thank you for all the wonderful memories, that i will cherish forever. Thank you for the 'old time singing' at Shiloh and the wonderful years we shared. A Blessed smile for you as you began your journey in 'flying over.' I will be looking for you. I will always remeber you as 'the woman who say what she got to say.' May God shines His light on your path, to lighten your way home. May the Angels of Heaven guide you home. I have ask them; so i know they will. God blessing IS in your Home Coming. Sincerely, Norma Bremmer-McLain (New London, CT) nbre4782@mindspring.com A Farewell To 'Aunt Ethel' Shiloh Baptist, Community Pay Their Respects To Ethel Mae Martin By Bethe Dufresne Published on 2/1/2006 in Region Buy Photo by Suzanne Ouellette • Those in attendance at Shiloh Baptist Church sing at a memorial service Tuesday for longtime congregation member Ethel Mae Martin, nicknamed “Old Shoe” by the Rev. Benjamin Watts. Martin, a member of Shiloh Baptist for more than 60 years and an original member of the church's Gospel Chorus, died Thursday. New London -- Ethel Mae Martin refused to tell people her age, yet by all accounts she liked it fine when her pastor nicknamed her “Old Shoe.” In an era marked by reverence for innovation and social change, the North Carolina native was known for her constancy. If she didn't show up for choir practice or services at Shiloh Baptist Church, where she was a member for 60 years, people knew something had to be wrong, recalled the Rev. Dr. Benjamin K. Watts during her funeral Tuesday morning. Hers was not a life of whim, but of service. Martin wasn't a leader in the broad sense, but she was a leader at Shiloh, where she was a founding member of the Gospel Chorus and served as its president for 20 years, until her death on Jan. 26. “Sister Martin” to some, “Aunt Ethel” to others, Martin represented that particular class of people whose impact is great, but can only be measured in bits and pieces. She didn't “take big chunks” out of life, said Watts in his eulogy, but took one day at a time. Norma McLain of New London, waiting to pay her respects Tuesday, remembered meeting Martin in 1992, on the day McLain first came to Shiloh. McLain was four months pregnant, and fleeing an abusive relationship. Martin hugged her. That was it. In large part because of Martin, McLain said, she kept coming back. “I would look forward to seeing her on Sunday mornings. She didn't ask a lot of questions,” said McLain, “just held on to me. She would call me 'little child.' ” “I didn't have a grandmother or a mother here,” said McLain, now 45. “But she was always there,” sitting with a couple of other older, reliably maternal church members. “They would uplift me for the rest of the week,” McLain said. Martin, widowed in 1983, had no children. Her closest survivor is her sister, Gracie Dark of Winston-Salem, N.C., who was at Tuesday's service. During World War II, Martin worked as a welder at Electric Boat, and later for many years she was a presser at Shalett's Cleaners. She was a devoted and accomplished bowler. But her heart, it seemed, belonged to her church. There are five choirs at Shiloh. The Gospel Chorus, of which Martin was a founding member, is made up of older singers, who sang with gusto Tuesday morning. Chorus director Fredrick Craig, 35, said that while this choir focuses on more traditional tunes, Martin was “always rockin' ” to the music. She last sang with the chorus in December. Dolly Ruff of New London, a niece by marriage, said Martin arrived here in 1942. Although far away from blood relatives, Martin adapted well. “She was independent before it was popular to be independent,” said Ruff. Described as “tall but small,” Martin was remembered as feisty, witty and sharp as the elbow piercing the air when she'd put her hand on her hip, her trademark gesture. She was “tough but tender,” said Watts, much like an old, comfortable shoe. But her most notable achievement, several friends said, was her spiritual state of satisfaction. Several Gospel Chorus members recalled that Martin's favorite hymn was “Satisfied with Jesus.” It was the reason she was so comfortable to be around, they said. Robin L. Harris, Watts' assistant, said a handful of older Shiloh church women, dubbed “elder saints,” can be counted upon to come to every funeral. Martin was one of them. “If a church member died, she would be there,” said Harris. Tuesday morning at least 75 people turned out to celebrate the enduring worth of that, and many other small favors. b.dufresne@theday.com
The Woman I called: My Princess
I went back to the places we visited; I saw your smiling face. You shine like the stars. You were my friend I was your friend, even to the end. I stood by you. * To your dearest friend, Mrs Versie Mitchell who stood by you. May God shines His prescious light around her, always. *** Vernice Wilhelmina Barnes Cook, 83, of 34 Dow St., New London,departed this life on March 8, 2003 at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital. *** Mrs. Cook was born on April 17, 1919, the second of 10 children, to the late Rev. Clarence William Timothy and Eliza Frances Cosby Barnes in Charlottesville, Va. *** She graduated from Virginia Union University with a B.A. in education in 1945. She taught in schools of South Carolina and Appomattox, Va., in the latter of which she met and married the late Cleophas D. Cook, Jr. on Aug. 28, 1949. From this union was produced two children, Dwight R.B. Cook of Towson, Md., and Evangeline L. Cook Earle of New London. In 1954 she moved to New London with her family and subsequently taught for the New London Public School System, Saltonstall Elementary School and Nathan Hale Elementary School until her retirement in 1981. *** Mrs. Cook, who is listed in Who's Who Among African Americans, was a social and civil rights activist who was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church where she served as the clerk of the church, on the usher board and president of the Good Samaritan Club; the NAACP where she was a Life Member and served as secretary of the New London, New England States, Connecticut State and Region II branches of the organization; the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) where she was a Life Member and Connecticut State convener, as well as founder/president emeritus of the New London Branch; the New London Community Resources Commission, serving as the chairwoman of the board of directors; OIC, as vice-chairwoman of the board of directors of Region I national auxiliary; Excelsior Temple #144 of the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World, where she as a life member, served as Daughter Ruler and received the highest degree of Past Grand Daughter Ruler; Hempstead Neighborhood Advisory Council; Socialite Social Club; Circle 6; WFSR-TV Minority Advisory Board; Civil Rights Coordinating Committee of the Commission on Human Rights; YWCA board of directors; Federation of New London County Black Democrats; Gayette Club; the New London Service League; the B.P. Learned Mission; and Model Cities. *** The Connecticut State Chapter of the NCNW named her Woman of the Year in 1978. She received the First Annual National NAACP Women's Conference Service Award in 1980 as well as the 10 year Service Award from the New London County OIC, Board of Directors. *** P E A C.. E