Lonnie Dooley

Celebrating a Beautiful Woman of God…

Our beloved Mother Lonnie Merl Dooley (affectionately known as Mommo) was welcomed home by the Lord on August 29th, 2025 at 12:20 a.m. She was born on September 7, 1927 in Madison, MS, to the late Sylvester and Etta Taylor. The family included her sisters Alloween Fields and Thelma Bailey, and her brother TC Taylor, all of whom preceded her in death.

At an early age, Lonnie Merl professed her faith at Madison Baptist Church in Madison, MS. Following her family’s relocation, she continued worship at South Liberty Baptist in Canton, MS. She received her elementary and secondary education in Canton Public Schools. Her journey then led her to St. Louis, Missouri, where she met and married the love of her life, the late Rev. Charlie Dooley (lovingly called Chas), on August 12, 1947. Their union spanned 58 years and they were blessed with seven children before Rev. Dooley’s passing. Daughter Gail Stephanie Alexander, son Stanley Glenn Dooley, granddaughters Kellie Lynn Kiner and Christa Charmel Dooley, and adopted daughter Keasha Robinson Journey all preceded her in death.

Lonnie Merl enjoyed a long career at McDonnell Douglas Co. She enjoyed her work and the people she worked with. Her reputation for being diligent and meticulous was well-known and as one colleague put it, “If Lonnie is working the floor, we can be assured that it’s clean and everything is in order!”

Mother Dooley dedicated her time and energy to her church community. Alongside her husband, she joined the Midwestern M. B. Church under the late Rev. C. B. Moore, where she served faithfully on the usher board and in the choir. Their family was raised in faith and reverence, and in 1967, her husband answered the call to pastor Revelation M. B. Church. Mother Dooley embraced her roles as First Lady, president of the Mother Board, and continued to serve as an usher. She strived to nurture and strengthen the younger women and encourage them in their faith walk. Mother Dooley was an unwavering supporter of Rev. Dooley’s ministry, including missionary outreach to Haiti, where they sponsored and supported Ulrique Ministre and family in their immigration to the United States. Following Rev. Dooley’s passing in 2005, Mother Dooley remained an active and devoted member of Revelation M. B. Church under the leadership of Rev. Carl W. McDowell Jr., serving the Mother Board until her own transition.

Mommo’s home was renowned for warmth, hospitality, laughter, and most importantly Love. Family and friends recall her kitchen table always offering a comforting meal and there was always the celebrated “snack bacon” on the stove. And if you sat in the wrong chair, you might find yourself engaged in a game of UNO—one you were sure to lose. Her children and grandchildren fondly remember the many Christmas Eve gatherings, the food, singing, prayer circle, and gifts from one end of the room to the other. Mommo shared a special bond with her sister-in-love, Betty Wright (Betty Boop), and together they enjoyed twenty years of companionship. And during the last years of her life, the family insisted that Mommo would not be moved to a senior living facility but be cared for at her home. To facilitate the level of care necessary, the daughters Marcie, Charlotte, and Jeanne shifted their life schedules to provide care, and with the help of Betty Boop she was able to live out her remaining days at home in comfort...2284 will never be the same.

Lonnie Merl Dooley carried herself with quiet elegance and unmatched grace, balancing compassion with strength, laughter with wisdom, and tradition with vision. Her love was steadfast, her counsel wise, her presence comforting, and her laughter a melody that brightened even the darkest days. Her legacy of faith will continue to shine through every life she touched. She truly was our example of a Proverbs 31 Woman.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…”

Proverbs 31:28

Mother Dooley leaves behind a loving and extensive family: sons Charlie Allen Dooley (Sandra) and Timothy Elliott Dooley (Marianne), daughters Etta Marcia Smith, Charlotte Yvette Kiner, Timolin Jeanne Warren (Mark), and adopted daughter Mary Ann Tippett; daughter-in-law Sheila Dooley; niece Ella Ruth Thompson; 20 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Louis Tillman of Los Angeles, CA; sisters-in-law Betty Wright, and Estella Hands (Joe) of Gary, IN; and countless nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and her Revelation M. B. Church family. Her memory continues to inspire and uplift all who knew her. She was truly a Golden Girl.