Birth date: Mar 9, 1925 Death date: Oct 30, 2009
She was preceded in death by her parents, Isaac Monroe and Sybil Mills Holland; husband, Mathew L. Corley; four sisters; and three brothers. She is survived by children Mike and Cindy Corley; grandchildren Shawn Corley and Chase C Read Obituary
Michael and Cindy and Family: Our prayers are with you. Just think….your parents are all together now!!! Think how proud they are of all of you. Michael, your mother was a very beautiful woman. Everytime I saw her she was impeccable. Rejoice…she is in Heaven. Love you guys
Mema – my first thought is Christ and your love for Him and that thought is followed by memories of hand penned scriptures, praises and poems strewn all over your home – verses penned on box tops – the back of a greeting card filled with your words – praising Him – you ….ready for bed – all snuggled in for the night with that radio glued to your ear and Brother Jeffries booming voice coming throughout the room – Mom, I don't know that I have ever known another person that actually did meditate on the Lord by day and and by night. Your riches truly were in heaven and you never took your eyes off of that goal. You told as many people that would listen to you about your Lord and His grace and salvation. You always needed more "pamphlets" that told of that saving grace because you always handed them to clerks and workmen doing work in your home. I just know you will meet many in heaven that came to know the Lord because of you. As Chase said, Michael and Pepa Corley will be two of those – and countless others that know His love because you shared it as you traveled your lifetime. I remember the first time i met you. Michael told me you were hard of hearing and that i would need to "yell to the right ear" – Nervous and anxious, i did just that….i yelled all night. Later on realizing your hearing was not THAT bad – my jokester husband loved to do stuff like that. From that first meeting though, i knew you loved the Lord. As Chase said in his memories, you were just a bit overly concerned about things – but as Chase said – we always knew we were loved and cared for. I know many prayers were lifted as we raised the boys – as we went through the trials and tribulations of those teenage years…..and all through our lives. I remember seeing something in your room at Summer Ridge – it was a piece of paper with all the names of God on it. It was written in your beautiful handwriting….and i remembered back years and years ago in school – early teen years – i would have a huge crush on a boy. I would write his name on my notebook and i would trace over and over that name….as i looked at your names on that paper – the names of our mighty God – i realized you had traced over and over each name. Your crush has always been on Him =) In the hospital, at the end, when you couldn't open your eyes – every once in a while i would notice your lips moving – just a little…..i know you were quoting His word – even as you walked through that shadow of death – and i do know too that you feared absolutely nothing because you knew He walked beside you….protecting you – and guiding you to Him. The night before you passed into glory, you could still talk just a bit – each time i heard you stir, i would come to your bedside and ask if you were in pain or if you needed anything and you would shake your head no….and then i would ask "Mema, have you seen Jesus yet?" and you would get this look on your face – the only way i can describe it is to say i have seen that look on Shawn and Chase's faces right before they entered the room on Christmas morning….it was the sweetest look of excitement – of anticipation – and with a smile as big as Texas you would softly tell me " Not yet!" Your last day on this earth, my sweet friend Kim came and we sat by your bed and sang hymns to you – we prayed and we sang. Such a sweet time and there were times, even though you could not speak or open your eyes, that you raised an eyebrow – and once or twice you got the sweetest smile on your face….and then there was that time we were singing "How Great Thou Art" and it got to the high place and Kim and i attempted to reach that high note and you got this frown on your face – i know you could hear us! Such a sweet time with you mema. Loving you into glory. I know you are there now – with our Lord, face to face. You have brand new body that doesn't ache and hurt….you can smell once again….you can taste – you can hear clearly – and I know you are spending every moment loving our Lord. I know, Mema – when you got to the gate – when you faced our Lord and Savior
For anyone who truly knew Mema, I don't have to write a ton about how kind she was to everyone, how much she loved and cared for her family, how she loved and served the Lord with every fiber of her body, or how she always tried to show the Lord to others with her own life….I don't have to write about these things because for those who knew her, you knew those things by her actions, and the type of life that she led… Some funny things that some of you might not know though… Mema was definitely not a "fly by the seat of your pants" or a "out of sight, out of mind" type of Mema…Instead, Mema was one who did worry a little more than your average Mema, but it was just because she cared so much! I'll never forget going to mow her yard with Josh Cannon back in high school…Mema was so worried about anything to do with Sun exposure and possible skin cancer that when any of us were out in the sun for very long, she came out with "All Guns Blazing" when it came defense against it…I'm talking SPF 1,000 Sun Screen, Gloves, A Long-Sleeved Plaid, Flannel Garden Smock (even though it was mid-August in Texas), Darth Vader Sunglasses (the ones her and Pepa would always wear), and a Sun Hat that makes a Sombrero look tiny…. I had a little fun with this, and convinced her that, due to Josh's Hispanic background, he was more sensitive to skin cancer and HE was the one who needed the extra protection…Josh was blind-sided the first time I turned Mema on him with her bag of Anti-Cancer tricks, and once he had realized what I was doing to him, he was far too polite and laughing way to hard inside to say anything…He had to just sit there and take it…I wish I had a picture of him in all his glory… I also will always remember…. – The "Dog In A Box" that Mema purchased to make sure that everyone who came to the front door was greeted by the sound of a very loud, barking German Shepherd…This was a little pink box that had the dog's bark motion activated…I can only imagine how many times that thing went off and scared the heck out of Pepa… – The very unique meals and snacks that she would make for us. It was never a normal meal that any normal teenager would eat…She would come to us with something like a hotdog with a slit cut down the middle of it, with mustard filled in the slit (I never understood the slit by the way), a hard-boiled egg, and three prunes…She always wanted us to eat very healthy, which I now appreciate, but it was just funny because the meals were always just a little different…Who knows, maybe that will become our specialty for the girls going forward…. – All of the many signs that she left for herself throughout the house…You couldn't go anywhere in that house without being greeted by signs that said, "Turn the Lights Out?", "Turn Off the Alarm?", "Water Sprinklers?", "Lock the Door?"….I never found it, but I always looked for the sign that said, "Make the Signs?"…..It's funny though, because now I find myself making these same signs…. – Mema was like a Walking Newscast….She was always so on top of each and every current event, every pop-culture trend, new methods in medicine, etc…There weren't too many topics that you could bring up to Mema that she didn't not only know exactly what you were talking about, but she always had some very good insight into that subject, and the stats to back it up….I was always amazed by how much information that she was able to keep readily on hand, and she was always willing to share it, along with 7 News Articles talking about it, to pretty much everyone that she cared about….We couldn't leave Mema's house without having an armful of articles and clippings that she had picked out for us during the week….I do have to say though, Mema and I didn't exactly see eye to eye when it came to the Cowboys moving to the 3-4 defense, or her love for the Black Eyed Peas. : ) – Mema's Personal Airbag that she carried with her in her lap anytime she rode in the car…This was simply a pillow, but to Mema this was going to be her Saving Grace in a high-impa
Cindy and Michael, I am so sorry to hear about your mother. I understand your heartache but the joy that she is in Heaven. Maybe she's with my mother and they are comparing sun screens! What a wonderful tribute by Chase. I feel like I know her already. Let us know if you need anything. We Love Ya'll, Jan and Johnny Bearden
Dear Michael and Cindy: What a delight and pleasure to meet you! It's so refreshing to meet someone like you who loves the Lord very much! The service was so nice and uplifting, celebrating your Mom's life. She is with Him and your Dad right now; what comfort that has to be for you. I wish I could have known her. God bless you in the days ahead as you reflect upon what a great Mom you had. Sincerely in Christ, Al Fike, Restland
