Our beloved D.K. Cooley of Picayune, Mississippi passed away on Saturday, August 28, 2021, at the age of 95. D.K. was born in Heidelberg, Mississippi on October 17, 1925, to Alfred Cooley and Dolly Sansom. One of eight children, he attended elementary and middle school in Sandersville, Mississippi. After serving in the U.S Marine Corps, he returned to Picayune, Mississippi, where he married his wife of seventy-one years, Dorothy Ott. D.K. attended Veteran School at George Washington Carver, earning his certificate of Graduation in 1955 while supporting his family.

D.K. was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Dorothy Ott Cooley, three brothers: Wilson Cooley, Woodrow Cooley, and Rufus Clayton Cooley; and three sisters: Betty Nell McDougle, Georgia Williams, and Tommie Jean Pittman. He is survived by his five children: Brenda McKee (Wilfret) of Picayune, MS; Faye Shaw of Los Angeles, CA; Angela Brooks of Detroit, MI; Karen Cooley of Milwaukee, WI; and Don Cooley of Houston, TX. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren, carrying forward his legacy of love.

A viewing for D.K. is planned for Friday, September 17, 2021, from 9 am to 10:30 am at Pilgrim Bound Baptist Church, 921 Baylous Street, Picayune, MS. The funeral will follow immediately at 11 am, with burial in the Picayune Cemetery on 8th Street, under the direction of Baylous Funeral Home. Due to Covid-19 precautions, the funeral service will be limited to family only. A memorial service for family and friends will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 19th at The Grand, 217 Curran Avenue, Picayune, Mississippi 39466. Masks will be required for admittance to the funeral and memorial service.