Tommie Lee Cooks

The Life of Tommie Lee Cooks

Mr. Tommie Lee Cooks was born November 2, 1961, in Monroe, Louisiana. He was the son of Margaret Shaw and the late Alex Shaw. His family moved from the south to Chicago IL, but when he was 12 they relocated to Pontiac Michigan.

He attended Pontiac schools where he received his education. He held several jobs, but his favorite was being a Sanitation worker. Tommie attended Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church where he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Before he took his last breath, he rededicated his life back to God.

Tommie met and married his best friend and love of his life, Virginia of 27 years. Together they raised five beautiful children.  He had a mother, wife, sisters, children, in-laws, aunts, uncles, and multiple nieces, nephews and cousins that loved him unconditionally.

Tommie enjoyed a simple life. Every day he set out to do a good deed for someone. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, fishing, hunting, basketball, watching sports, and going to the casino. He loved cracking jokes and feeding people. He was an independent, strong, dependable, bold and straight forward man. His favorite saying was “I just look like this”.

He was preceded in death by his father Alex Shaw; his siblings Dorothy “Dot” Shaw, Timothy “Buck” Shaw, and Donnie “Dank” Shaw. He was also preceded in death by several nephews, a great niece, and a great-great nephew.

Tommie leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife Virginia Lee Cooks; mother Margaret Shaw; father and mother in-law Jesse and Sandra Hillie; children Maurice Hillie, Turquoise Cooks, Lasandra Cooks, Devin Fears, Deon Fears; grandchildren Kyle England, Kareania Cooks, Kareyelle Galloway, Jasmine Hillie, Maurice Hillie Jr, Treasure Cooks, A’Nyla Leak, Riley Rogers, Ardnas Hillie, Tori Hillie, KyReece Hillie, Dallas Fears, Adriana Hillie; four sisters, Sara (Torron) Cooks-Joyner, Geraldine (Jody) Mays, Diana (Tony) Jenkins, Harriet Shaw; sisters-in-law Tamara Owens-Shaw, Regina Hillie, Yalonda Hillie; brother-in-law Lance Hillie; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The Memorial Service for Tommie Lee Cooks will be Saturday, January 20, 2024, at 1pm at New Birth International Church (yellow building) 124 W. Columbia Ave, Pontiac, MI 48340.  For those that can’t attend the Memorial Service but would like to pay your respects, the gym doors will be open from 11:30am-12:30pm on Saturday, January 20, 2024.