Elizabeth Sylvy Gilbreath Cooley

Obituaries

Wednesday, 29 January 2020 08:32

Elizabeth Sylvy Gilbreath Cooley was born on Wednesday, June 13, 1928 and graduated to heaven on Friday, December 27, 2019. Paul Cooley, Jr. met Elizabeth Gilbreath at Snead State Community College in 1949. They quickly fell in love with each other after finding out they both had goals of becoming teachers. They later got married in the English dormitory that same year. After graduating, they moved to Jacksonville State University to finish earning their degrees. After years of hard work, struggle and dedicated studying, they earned their educational degrees. They then moved to Henagar where they began their first teaching positions. In the following three years, they moved on to Pisgah where they would impact and touch the lives of many students and teachers. After, Coach Cooley took on the role of being the head coach to the Scottsboro Wildcats, where they both impacted many lives. In 1981 after their retirement, they took on their greatest role: being a parent to their grandson, Caleb Michael Cooley. At the end of her life, Elizabeth’s greatest accomplishment and happiness came from her great-granddaughter, Shelby Cooley. So, in the words of Mrs. Cooley, finish well. Mrs. Cooley is survived by her son, Caleb Michael Cooley; her other son, Michael Barry Cooley; daughter, Kellie Cooley; great-granddaughter, Shelby Madison Cooley. She was preceded in death by her husband and soulmate of 50 years, Coach Paul Cooley, Jr; parents, Theodore Roosevelt Gilbreath and Tressie May Hill Gilbreath; sister, Sue Gilbreath McKesson; great-grandson, Joseph Paul Cooley. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Cooley Foundation set up at Redstone Federal Credit Union in Scottsboro. Account 510-140-965-42, for the further advancement of education.