Barbara Ann Smith Cooley, 94, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2023. Barbara was born July 25, 1928, in Raleigh, NC to Mary McGee Smith and Everett Laws Smith, D.D.S. Barbara grew up in Raleigh and was educated in the public schools there. She graduated from high school at St. Mary’s School, attended Converse College, and in 1949 graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, presented at the North Carolina Debutante Ball, and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Raleigh. Barbara was married for 59 years to Roger Atkinson Pryor Cooley. They enjoyed travel, church work and leadership, and their grandchildren. They began their married life in Nashville, NC, and then lived in Greensboro, NC, Riverside, CT, Richmond, VA, and Alexandria, VA. Although Barbara never had trouble making friends, there was never a time when she did not look forward to returning to Raleigh, which she and Roger did in 1990.
She is survived by her daughter, Madeline Strickland Cooley Flagler (David), and her son, Harold Dunbar Cooley II (Kimberly). She leaves her six grandchildren, whom she dearly loved and was so very proud of: Mary Gaston Flagler Grove (Andy) of Bethesda, MD, Julia Southerland Flagler (Andrew) of Apex, NC, Rachel McGee Cooley Edmiston (Robbie) of Raleigh, Harold Dunbar Cooley III of Atlanta, GA, Emory Moore Cooley of New York, NY, and Davis Atkinson Cooley of Atlanta, GA, and three great-grandchildren: Olivia Catherine Grove, Jack Powell Edmiston, and Sophia Charlotte Grove. She leaves beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins on both her and her husband’s sides of the family, many lifelong friends, and those neighbors and friends in her church who have been both physical and spiritual support over the years. Barbara was predeceased by her husband, parents, and her only sibling, her sister Suzanne Smith Fitchett.
A funeral service will be held Friday, May 12 at 11 am at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 100 East Peace Street, Raleigh NC 27604 with a reception following. The burial will be at 1 pm at Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Building Fund, 100 East Peace Street, Raleigh NC 27604, or The Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC, 1924 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh, NC 27604.
Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh is honored to serve the Cooley family.
