Almetta McKiney Cooper

Sister Almetta McKiney Cooper, daughter of the late Fred McKiney and Sarah Bowman McKiney, was born into this life along with her twin sister Mattie on May 27, 1931 in Manning, SC. Almetta was born into eternity on September 30, 2015. Almetta, also affectionately known as "Sweet" by many, received her education in the Manning, South Carolina Public School System. She moved to Baltimore, MD in 1956 and began to work for Arches Laundry until 1966. In 1967, she became a Central Service Technician at Maryland General Hospital. On May 30, 1996, Almetta retired from Maryland General Hospital after 29 years of service. On April 18, 1959, Almetta married William Carter, Sr. From this union came two beautiful children, the late William Carter, Jr. and Terry Carter-Watkins. On October 24, 1974, Almetta married Henry Cooper of Lake City, SC. Henry and Almetta's wonderful union lasted for 35 years until he preceded her in death in 2010. At an early age, Almetta accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior and joined Antioch Baptist Church in Manning, SC. She sang on the choir, served as an usher and was the assistant Sunday School Secretary. After relocating to Baltimore, MD, she became a member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church where she sang on the choir. After her marriage to Henry, she joined him at St. Pentecostal Holiness Church where she served as President and soloist on the Adult Choir. She later joined the First Apostolic Faith Church under the leadership of Bishop Cornelius Showell. As an active member of the church, she served on the Senior Usher Board and enjoyed attending Sunday School, Bible Study, and the Wednesday Senior Citizen Ministry until her health began to fail. Almetta had a heart of gold and many talents. She earned a certificate in "Dressmaking I," which gave her the opportunity to design fine clothing for herself and others. She was a fashionista in her own right, who liked to dress in her Sunday's Best, strut in her high heels and wear her fancy hats. Almetta was also known for her warm hospitality and loved to cook and bake. Family and friends looked forward to attending her annual Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. She would even leave her parties to deliver meals to the sick and the shut-in. Her doors were always open to everyone. She was preceded in death by: one grandchild, Alex Carter; one sister, Margueritta McCullough; and five brothers, Samuel McKiney, Bertie McKiney, Jackson McKiney, Elijah McKiney and Henry Mack. Almetta leaves to cherish her memory; her loving daughter, Terry Watkins (Lamont) of Bensalem, PA; her daughter-in-law, Angela Carter of Baltimore, MD; her sisters, Lula Johnson of Baltimore, MD, Mattie Owens of Philadelphia, PA and Sarah Lemon (John) of Bronx, NY; one brother, Moease McKiney (Cynthia) of Philadelphia, PA; five sisters-in-law, Eloise McKiney of Manning, SC, Louise McKiney and Joyce McKiney of Philadelphia, PA, Lucille Cooper of Newark, NJ and Ella Guy of Dayton, OH; one brother-in-law, Eddie Cooper (Gladys) of Lake City, SC; one longtime friend, Sister Myrtle Watts of Baltimore, MD; nine grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

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Almetta McKiney Cooper

May 27, 1931 - September 30, 2015