Funeral service for Mrs. Mary Louise Brinkley 79, of Harker Heights, Texas will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2021, 12:00 noon at Greater Vision Community Church in Killeen, Texas. Burial will follow the service at Killeen Memorial Park Cemetery in Killeen, Texas.

Viewing will be held from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon at the church prior to the service.

Mrs. Brinkley passed away September 3, 2021, in Temple, Texas.

Mary Louise Brinkley lovingly known as "Mommy" to her children and their friends; was born in Florence, South Carolina, on December 31, 1941, to Alex and Susie Cooks. Mary was educated in the Florence South Carolina Public School System.

During Mary's lifetime, she was a member of numerous Churches, to include Wayside Progressive Church (Florence, SC); All Nations Church of God by Faith (St. Petersburg, Florida); and Greater Vision Community Church; just to name a few. Mary was known for her unwavering love and devotion to GOD, the Church, her eight children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. All who met and loved her knew right away that she was a woman of faith and that her family was her life, and she was theirs!

Mary grew up in Florence South Carolina, were she met and married her late husband Herbert Lee Brinkley and started her family. Mary and Herbert later moved to Brooklyn, New York then later relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida to assist one of her siblings and ultimately deciding to remain there to raise her children. Shortly after arriving in St. Petersburg, Mary found herself thrust into a new situation as a single mother, raising her eight children alone (which she totally rocked). She unselfishly and courageously raised each of them with love and compassion. Mary worked tirelessly sometimes two and three jobs at the same time to provide for her beloved children without uttering a word of complaint. She worked in the Hospitality Industry until age fifty -two at which that time she retired and began her life of leisure, travel and loving support and dedication to her children as they began having families of their own".

Mary loved selflessly, when there was ever a need from anyone regardless of the relationship, (i.e., family, friends and even strangers) she was always willing to lend a hand and share what she had. She made it a point to be engaged and present with each of her children during important milestones in their lives. She was inimitable in the way she balanced her time amongst her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Mary epitomized the loving and devoted mother. She was the best, always showing her love through her actions whether it be after coming home from a hard day's work; making time to play games, chasing us around the house until we collapsed with exhaustion, watching game shows, Soaps, Walker Texas Ranger, and Steve Harvey; reading her Bible, listening to Gospel Music, listening to Jazz, playing the guitar, gardening, cooking, shopping, going out for a cup of coffee, going out to eat with family and friends, (one special friend in particular…Annette Cobb, whom Mary considered to be one of her own daughters), talking about God, encouraging us to believe in God's word and to pray about whatever was troubling us.

Mary was a great role model, teacher, comforter, encourager, inspiration and the loving bedrock that is the foundation of our family. Because of her loving devotion, support and spiritual guidance her legacy will live on into posterity. Mary was preceded in death by her parents Alex and Susie Cooks; first husband Herbert Lee Brinkley, second husband Larry Polen; son Paul Gannon Brinkley, grandson Paul Jacques Brinkley, Sr. (aka PJ), brothers : Robert Cooks, Edward Cooks, and Mose Green.

Mary leaves behind to carry on her memory her children : Herbert Carl Brinkley, Kathy Louise Brinkley, Carolyn Brinkley (Stephanie Samuels), Susan Yvette Young (Horace), Tonya Renee Mixson (James, III), Iris B. Moore, Michelle Hazelwood (Adrian), two brothers Jack Cooks, Sammie Cooks, seven sisters Bertha Peoples, Annette Smith, Hattie Profit (Henry), Edith Conner, Helen Howard (Fredrick), Janie Mae Morris, Ella Louise Cooks; 21 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.