Bobbie Jean Coles

Bobbie was born in Detroit, MI to Edward and Christine Kyles (née Morris). She grew up in Washington, D.C. and Birmingham, AL. From an early age Bobbie was an active member of a variety of local and national organizations and causes, beginning with participation in SNCC and CORE while she was in college. This set her on a path of lifelong volunteerism and activism.

In the early 90s, Bobbie became the Chapter Coordinator of Montgomery County, MD for the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support, Inc. (ACES). Bobbie was very active working with local public officials and lobbying Congress. She was a highly valued volunteer and as part of her work for ACES, she met with President Bill Clinton and attended a bill signing for child support legislation. She also worked with organizations that supported victims of spousal abuse.

Bobbie volunteered for local and national political campaigns, including for Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) before he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and when he became a Senator.

For over 10 years, Bobbie was a member of Encore Chorale, which is a part of the adult arts organization, Encore Creativity for Older Adults. She was a soprano and her last performance with the Chorale was at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in December 2023.

While researching her family history, Bobbie became a volunteer and later worked for the African American Civil War Museum. Through her work with the museum, Bobbie became a member of the Female RE-Enactors of Distinction (FREED). She portrayed an enslaved woman named Hattie, who was one of the many nameless, faceless women of the civil war. She performed with FREED around the country until she became too infirm to travel. Her last reenactment was in February of 2024.

Bobbie is survived by three daughters, one grandchild, one sister and her family, and many cousins who loved her dearly. A funeral service for family and close friends will be held on Tuesday, August 26 at the Hines-Rinaldi Funeral Home in Silver Spring, Md. In lieu of flowers, donations to help with funeral expenses can be sent to https://everloved.com/life-of/bobbie-coles/ .