OPHELIA—Mary Priscilla Cowart Cockrell, 93, of Ophelia died October 10, 2019, at Regional Memorial Hospital in Mechanicsville.
Born August 17, 1926, in Lake, she was the daughter of William John and Olive Headley Cowart.
Mary Priscilla was a homemaker. She graduated from Callao High School in 1944. After high school she studied nursing at St. Luke’s Hospital in Richmond. She worked part-time as an alternate postmaster at Ophelia post office and substitute clerk for Northumberland County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Mary Priscilla was very active at Afton United Methodist Church where she was a member since 1953. She was very involved in the United Methodist Women, taught Sunday school, supervised and taught Bible school, sang in the choir and directed the children’s choir.
She volunteered for many organizations in the community, canvassed for funds and helped organize the annual Ophelia July 4 parade.
Her husband, Dandridge Addison Cockrell Jr., and her brothers, John, Andrew and Lake Cowart, preceded Mary Priscilla in death.
She is survived by a brother-in-law, John Grafton Cockrell; five children, W. Page (Linda), Priscilla Stevens, Andy (Carol), Mark (Pam), Olivia (John Morgenthaler); eight grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.
Mary P. never met a stranger, all were welcome and there was always room for one more at her dinner table. She enjoyed having a house full of people; “the more the merrier” was her motto. She could whip up a meal for many from very few ingredients, the miracle of “loaves and fishes” happened daily in her kitchen. The fare could be meager, but the conversation was always lively, no one was turned away. She kept in touch with everyone she had ever met.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 26, at Afton United Methodist Church in Ophelia. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Afton United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, PO Box 579, Burgess, VA 22432; or Northumberland County Rescue Squad, PO Box 1, Reedville, VA 22539.
Currie Funeral Home LLC of Kilmarnock handled the arrangements.
