Mary Coker

A viewing will occur from 10-11AM at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church located at 7396 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, S.C. 29406. Her Going Home service will start at 11 AM at the church, and the committal and graveside services will occur at Carolina Memorial Gardens at 7113 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406.

Mary Ann Coker was born on March 8, 1940, at Harlem Hospital in New York City to the late Louise Alston and F. Darton. Raised and educated in New York City, Mary was a proud graduate of Yorkville Vocational High School in Upper Manhattan. From an early age, she demonstrated determination, compassion, and a strong commitment to building a meaningful life through education, service, and family.

Following high school, Mary began her professional journey in healthcare as a nurse’s aide at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. With a desire to further her knowledge and expand her ability to care for others, she continued her education at New York University Medical Center, where she became a Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician. Mary went on to devote 20 years of faithful and distinguished service as a Respiratory Therapist at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, New York. Throughout her career, she was known for her professionalism, compassion, and dedication to the well-being of her patients. Her work was more than a profession; it was an extension of her caring spirit and her lifelong commitment to serving others.

Among Mary’s greatest accomplishments was the love and devotion she gave as the proud mother of three sons: Michael Coker, John Coker III, and Danny Coker. Motherhood was central to her life and remained one of her deepest sources of pride and joy. Mary was a strong, dependable, and loving presence in the lives of her sons, offering guidance, encouragement, wisdom, and unwavering support throughout every season of their lives.

She was the kind of mother and family matriarch whose strength could be felt even in difficult moments. Her family could depend on her for reassurance, sound advice, and the quiet confidence that came from knowing she was always in their corner. Mary believed deeply in the importance of family, perseverance, responsibility, and standing beside those she loved. The values she instilled in her children and family became an enduring part of her legacy.

In the early 1990s, after retiring from Jacobi Hospital, Mary relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, to be closer to her mother. Her move to South Carolina marked the beginning of another meaningful chapter in her life, one rooted in family, faith, fellowship, and continued service.

Mary became a devoted member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church, where she found both a spiritual home and an extended family. She loved her church deeply and faithfully served in several ministries, including the Golden Angels, the Women’s Missionary Ministry, the Choir, and the Culinary Ministry. Through her involvement, Mary shared her time, talents, compassion, and faith with others. Her dedication to ministry reflected the generous spirit with which she lived her life and her belief in the importance of serving both God and community.

Mary possessed a strength that was both steadfast and graceful. She carried herself with dignity, faced life with resilience, and gave generously of herself to those she loved. Whether through her career in healthcare, her commitment to her church, or her devotion to her family, Mary consistently demonstrated the values of compassion, perseverance, service, and faith.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Louise Alston and F. Darton, and her beloved sister, Barbara.

Mary leaves a loving and devoted family to cherish her memory and continue the legacy she so carefully nurtured throughout her life. She is survived by her three beloved sons, Michael Coker (Debbie), John Coker III (Kahlida), and Danny Coker (Linda), each of whom carries forward the strength, values, wisdom, and love she instilled in them.

She also leaves her sister, Louise McDonald; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson, all of whom were sources of tremendous joy and pride. Her grandchildren and great-grandson include Tosh, Marsha, Michael, Cody, John, Alyma, Jared, Amad, Jessica, and Josh.

Mary’s family was the heart of her life, and her love extended beautifully across generations. Within her family, she created a lasting sense of connection, strength, stability, and belonging. Her children and grandchildren are not simply those she leaves behind; they are living reflections of the life she built, the sacrifices she made, the lessons she taught, and the love she so freely gave.

She also leaves to cherish her memory a host of extended family members, relatives, dear friends, and her beloved Mount Moriah Baptist Church family. Each carries memories of a woman whose kindness, wisdom, resilience, and presence left an unmistakable imprint upon their lives.

This moment brings an earthly separation, but it cannot erase a life well lived, diminish a love faithfully given, or extinguish a legacy firmly planted.

And so, while we mourn the absence of her physical presence, we celebrate the extraordinary gift of her life, and her glorious everlasting life with the Lord she deeply loved. Amen