- Date Of Birth: June 20, 1922
- Date Of Death: November 26, 2013
- State: Maryland
Marjorie Joyce (Knight) Cofield was born on June 20, 1922 in Tarboro, North Carolina, to the late Elder Johnnie and Alvania (Haywood) Knight; she was granted her wings on November 26, 2013. She was one of twelve children, four of which preceded her in death; William Earl, Moses, Johnnie Jr. and Thad Knight.
Marjorie attended Coakley Elementary School and Pattilo High in Tarboro, North Carolina. She married her childhood sweetheart, Clarence Cofield on October 13, 1940 and relocated to Washington, D.C. They were married for 35 years until his death on January 5,1976. From this union they had nine children, seven boys and two girls. Two of her sons, Jesse and Moses preceded her in death. She has nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
There were many things she loved; her family, her Church, cooking, sewing, crossword puzzles, traveling and reading the Washington Post daily. She cherished all the times she spent with her children and other family members, centered around good food and lots of laughter. She loved cooking so much, she was given the name “Betty” (i.e., Betty Crocker) by her youngest daughter Deborah because she was in the kitchen all the time. She was also called the ‘coconut lady’ because she baked so many pineapple coconut cakes for family and friends that she could bake them with her eyes closed.
Her love for children started as a young girl living at home. Being the oldest daughter, she had the job of caring for her younger siblings and that love was carried throughout her entire life. She was a stay at home mom, and a child care provider for her grandchildren, some nieces and nephews and other children with working parents.
Marjorie accepted Christ as her Savior June 1971 and has been a member of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church for 42 years and with the Deaconess Ministry for 23 years. The advice she would give any Deaconess is to pray continuously for guidance and for the Church family, be dedicated to your responsibilities and worship faithfully. She believed the role of a Deaconess should be one of a role model for other women in the Church. She was a former President of the Nurses Unit, a missionary worker; a member of the Ladies’ First Aid Union of Churches, and Family Unit 12.
She leaves to cherish her precious memory, her children John(Linda) of LaPlata, MD, Gloria( Harold) of Fredericksburg, VA, Clarence (Karon) of Colorado Springs, CO, Jerry (Frances) of Upper Marlboro, MD, Jeffrey (Sheila) of Spotsylvania, VA, Deborah (Calvin) and Gregory (Michelle) both of Washington, DC; her grandchildren Jon, Lisa (Anthony), Joel, Daryl, DeChantal, Kevin( Angela), Gordon (LaShawn), Michael and Chelcy; her great grandchildren Jordyn, Jayden, Jaxson, Jaila, and Jesshiah; four sisters Mary Mooring of Washington, DC, Emma Edgar of Bowie, MD, Alma Jones of Tarboro, NC, and Dorothy Webb(Charles) of Upper Marlboro, MD; three brothers Curtis (Mary) of Washington, DC, James (Mattie) of Tarboro, NC, and Winston (Linda) of Annapolis MD; An aunt, Mavis Knight of Rocky Mount NC, a host of nieces and nephews, her loving Church family and others relatives and friends.
