Mrs. Bertha L. (Coleman) Poe

Mrs. Bertha Louise Coleman Poe, daughter of the late Deacon John Coleman and Mrs. Bertha Phillips Coleman was born on September 23,1947 in Union Springs, Alabama. At an early age Mrs. Poe professed her faith in Christ and joined Mt. Silla Missionary Baptist Church in Union Springs, Alabama. She attended Carver High where she was the Valedictorian of her class. She also attended Alabama State University in which she graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education at Alabama State University she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta in 1965. She also graduated from Wayne State University in which she received her Master’s Degree and Education Specialist Degree. She taught for decades at Highland Park School District, after which she was a Union leader of the Federation of Teachers . Mrs. Poe became the first woman and first black woman to be Secretary Treasure of Michigan for the AFL-CIO, later she worked for the Wayne County Visitors Bureau. Mrs. Poe was a Union leader of the Federation of Teachers  She became the Assistant Superintendent of Personnel for the Highland Park Public Schools where she retired. She was a Licensed Funeral Director at Poe’s Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Union Springs, Alabama.

Mrs. Poe was united in holy matrimony to Dr. James V. Poe Jr. aka Dr. Jabari V. Prempeh on October 19, 1967. This union was blessed with three children. They had been married for 53 years.

Mrs. Poe was an active member of Unity Baptist Church Usher Board in Detroit Michigan, and the Detroit/ Bullock County NAACP. 

She leaves to mourn: Her Siblings ; Mrs. Julia Irvin, Mrs. Bernice Morgan, Mrs. Mary Burton, Mrs. Johnnie Parker, Pastor John (Mattie) Coleman, Dr. Rubye (Dr. Johnny) Sanders, a nephew that is like a brother John Bernard (Carolyn) Jones and a brother/ God brother Rodney V. Taylor. Her Children ; Crystal Poe, Jabari (Gladys Ayala) Prempeh and Villi (Willie James) Nelson. Nieces and Nephews; The late Edward Reginald Reynolds, Nieces LaSaundra (Jeffrey) Williams, Valerie Coleman Robinson, Tomekia Jordan; Nephews; Sammie Moore, J’ohn Sanders, and John Coleman IV.  Grandchildren; Rachelle A. Louise Poe, Tyrese Jay Coleman Poe, Taylor R. Elizabeth R. Poe, Ava Ayala Prempeh, Willie Nelson Jr., Jabari Coleman Ayala Prempeh III, Prince Nelson, and Lauryn Ayala Prempeh, and a host of grand nieces and grand nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.

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