Mary Frances Cofield

Mary Frances passed away peacefully on November 14, 2022, after a long and fulfilling life. She was born in Gulfport, MS and lived fourteen years of her early life in Jackson, Mississippi. Due to her father’s employment with Southern Bell and his World War II military assignments, the family moved eleven times to interesting cities, including Boston, El Paso, and Wrightsville Beach. These moves and places generated many delightful stories and experiences

Her family’s last move was to Birmingham in 1949. They lived in Forest Park and joined Highlands Methodist Church. She made many lifelong relationships through the community and her cherished church. She especially enjoyed the teaching and fellowship of the Hugh Comer class.

She graduated from high school in Hendersonville, NC. She attended Converse College and Furman University. She married Guy Burnard Cofield, with whom she shared fifty-nine years. She worked for five years as an accountant for Southern Bell before starting a family and being a stay-at-home mother, always involved with her boys’ activities. They lived in Mountain Brook, where they were charter members of the Mountain Brook Swim and Tennis Club. Her interests were many: painting, gardening, sewing, travel, arranging flowers and playing tennis and bridge. She belonged to the Silhouettes Dance Club, The Service Guild of Birmingham, the Art Museum, and a bridge club. At church she held many leadership roles. She and Mrs. Honea started the first two-year-old nursery so parents could attend services.

Mary Frances was a positive and friendly person and a devoted and loving wife and mother. She was intentional to instruct and improve her children and grandchildren for their betterment. When she would babysit her grandchildren, she would intentionally teach a new game or show them how to do something that would be useful in the future. She prepared balanced and tasty meals. Though an advocate for healthy eating, she would occasionally make the best carrot cake or chocolate pound cake, because life was meant to be enjoyed. As a young adult she committed herself to caring for older widows in the church. In old age she committed herself to not being a burden to others.

Later she met her late-life partner, Ted Brodnax, at Brookdale Place for Senior Living, University Park. They enjoyed seven great years, caring for each other and making the most of their senior-living experience.

She is survived by her two sons and their families: Guy Burnard Cofield, Jr. (Connie Ann) and Ronald Miller Cofield (Shannon), her nine grandchildren: Ann-Marie Keller (John), Paul Cofield (Amanda), Stuart Cofield, Miller Cofield, Kristen DiCristina (Mark), Charles Cofield (Blair), Rebecca Ashurst (Jeffrey), Matthew Cofield and Graham Cofield, eleven great grandchildren and her sisters, Nancy Sheider, Betty Carpenter (Dave) and Linda Pearce (Pat).

She is preceded in death by her parents, John William Miller and Frances Stingily Miller, her husband, Guy, her brother, Bill Miller and his wife Frances, her brother-in-law, Lee Sheider and daughter-in-law, Trisha Newell Cofield.

Memorials may go to Highlands Methodist Church or a charity of your choice. There will be a graveside service at Elmwood Cemetery, 600 Martin Luther King Jr Drive, 35211, on November 30 at 11:00 a.m., followed by a lunch at Highlands United Methodist Church, 1045 20th Street S, 35205.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Cofield family.