She was born February 21, 1921 in New York. Her parents were Wanita and Arthur Cooke who were from Dominica. Marie grew up in The Bronx, NY with her younger brother Clifford and her younger sister Norma.
Marie was accepted into the American Negro Theater Group of Harlem, NY in the early 1940s, where she met some very famous actors such as Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier, years before they became famous. She auditioned for and won small roles in two all black movies: Junction 88, (1947) as "Lolly" and Boarding House Blues, (1948) as "Lila Foster".
After spending a few years as an actress, Marie worked for the City of New York, in the Health and Welfare departments for thirty years.
Marie is predeceased by her parents: Wanita and Arthur Cooke, aunt: Edmay Sabin, brother: Clifford Cooke, sister: Norma C. Paige and husbands: Eddie Latulippe and Leonard Burgess. Marie is survived by her son: Peter Ferguson, nephews: Stephen Cooke, Anthony Paige, and Timothy Paige, step-daughter: Jean Bonner, step-son: Wayne Burgess and his wife Sarah (Peaches), and step-son: Craig Burgess, and countless family members, friends, and neighbors.
A funeral service will be held on Friday (April 1, 2011) at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Carmon Windsor Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor.
Burial will follow in Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale, NY.
Her family will receive friends on Friday prior to the services from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at the Funeral Home.
Published in The Hartford Courant on March 30, 2011.
She was born February 21, 1921 in New York. Her parents were Wanita and Arthur Cooke who were from Dominica. Marie grew up in The Bronx, NY with her younger brother Clifford and her younger sister Norma.
Marie was accepted into the American Negro Theater Group of Harlem, NY in the early 1940s, where she met some very famous actors such as Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier, years before they became famous. She auditioned for and won small roles in two all black movies: Junction 88, (1947) as "Lolly" and Boarding House Blues, (1948) as "Lila Foster".
After spending a few years as an actress, Marie worked for the City of New York, in the Health and Welfare departments for thirty years.
Marie is predeceased by her parents: Wanita and Arthur Cooke, aunt: Edmay Sabin, brother: Clifford Cooke, sister: Norma C. Paige and husbands: Eddie Latulippe and Leonard Burgess. Marie is survived by her son: Peter Ferguson, nephews: Stephen Cooke, Anthony Paige, and Timothy Paige, step-daughter: Jean Bonner, step-son: Wayne Burgess and his wife Sarah (Peaches), and step-son: Craig Burgess, and countless family members, friends, and neighbors.
A funeral service will be held on Friday (April 1, 2011) at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel of the Carmon Windsor Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor.
Burial will follow in Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale, NY.
Her family will receive friends on Friday prior to the services from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at the Funeral Home.
Published in The Hartford Courant on March 30, 2011.
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