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Sunday February 7, 1904, the eleventh child
of James Fountain Cooper and Lucyann Missouri Levins was born. They named her Leila
Agnes. Leila had ten siblings, Charles Robinson, George Washington, James Urwin, Lorina,
John Jordan, Bessie Elizabeth, Thomas David, Arlie Olevia, Susie Idell, and Andrew Jackson.
Leila loved to visit her sister Bessie and her family. At nightfall the prankster in
Leila came out. She would take a sheet and sneak out by the Chimney and scare Pearlie,
Ira and Allen. She loved to trick the kids.
She married Beta Kendric Nelson. Their blissful marriage produced six children, Evelyn,
Jack Lynn, Beta Kendric, Donald Lee, James Earl, Rena Jean. Leila had a lot of heartbreak
in her life; two of her children Evelyn and Jack Lynn died from pneumonia. Then, after
moving to Green Cove Springs, Beta Kendric drowned.
After her husband Beta died on November 26, 1956, she went to live with her daughter
Rena Jean in Jacksonville. She took care of the housework and her grandson
Richard Hendric. She would frequently return to Holt to visit her sisters. In 1971
she returned to Holt and moved in with her niece Noma Lee. Noma Lee remembers that
Leila was a great cook and could bake the most delicious peach cobbler. Noma Lee said
that it was a joy to have Leila with her.
The prankster in Leila never died. Her great niece Shirley Jean (Sherry) recalls taking
Leila to Jacksonville. She was in the back seat with her niece Pearl Lorraine and
Shirley over heard a conversation between the two of them as they were driving through
Quincy, "Pearl do you know what I like to do?" Pearl replied, "What
do you like to do?" " Well when I see a good looking man with an ugly woman,
I like to smile and wave then watch her get after him."
Leila had heart problem for many years. She became ill and was admitted to the convalescent
home in Milton, Florida where she died early Sunday morning were driving through Quincy,
"Pearl do you know what I like to do?" Pearl replied, "What do you like to
do?" " Well when I see a good looking man with an ugly woman, I like to smile
and wave then watch her get after him."
Leila had heart problem for many years. She became ill and was admitted to the convalescent
home in Milton, Florida where she died early Sunday morning the 27th day of April 1980 at the
age of 76. Her final resting-place is in the new Holt Cemetery, Holt, Florida.
Written by: Kim Little, friend of the family.
November 2002
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