Mildred Comer Easley
Mildred Comer Easley was born March 15, 1943, in Jackson, TN to the late Milton Sr. and Alberta Comer. She was the thirteenth of fourteen siblings. Mildred accepted Christ at an early age and united with Blairs Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church where she sang in the choir.
In 1960 she graduated from West High School and continued her education at Lane College. While in college, she met Ben Easley. She graduated Lane in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She left Jackson for her first teaching assignment in Hickman, Kentucky.
After returning from the Army, Ben and Mildred continued dating and married on September 3, 1966. The couple moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee soon after marriage. There Mildred gave birth to her two children, Bennetrious (Neet) in 1969 and Stunnislas (Stun) in 1971.
Mildred furthered her studies and obtained a master’s degree in education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Her teaching career continued at Kirkman Technical High School where she was the first of three African Americans to teach at that school. She spent the latter part of her teaching career at Tyner High School. During her tenure at Tyner High School, she was able to see her two children graduate from there. She also had a major impact on many students at Tyner High through the years. After teaching for 39 years, she retired in 2003.
While in Chattanooga, Mildred was a member of Stanley United Methodist Church. She was very active in the women’s ministry, choir ministry, Sunday school, vacation bible school, and served on the administrative board. Outside of church, she was a charter member of Las Damas Distinction, a social/service organization that she helped to organized along with her friends. She was also a member of Jack and Jill where she served as President for one term.
In 2013, Mildred moved back to her hometown of Jackson, TN. She wanted to come home to be closer to her nieces and nephews, and her daughter who lives nearby in Memphis, TN. She attended Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church under the spiritual guidance of Rev. Sharon Lewis-Karamoko.
Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, Milton Sr. and Alberta, and siblings: Ernestine, James, Milton, Zettie, Horace, Garthel, Doris, Eloise, Dorothy, Betty, Marie, and Joseph.
Mrs. Mildred Easley transitioned to her heavenly home on her birthday on Tuesday, March 15. She leaves to cherish her memories her husband Ben Easley of Jackson, TN; her daughter, Bennetrious Easley of Memphis, TN; her son Stunnislas Easley and his life partner Nicole McDonald of Ellicott City, MD; her brother, Sammy (Edna) Comer of Nashville, TN; three grandchildren, Jasmine McDonald, Inaya Criner, and Memphis Easley of Ellicott City, MD, her brother-in-law, Coris Easley of Paris, TN, her sister-in-law, Ethel Jean Comer of Jackson, TN; her god grandchild, Charles Smelley, III of Chattanooga, TN and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Visitation for Mrs. Easley will be on Monday, March 21, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Mercer Brothers Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be on Tuesday, March 22, at 11 a.m. at Mercer Brothers Funeral Home, 501 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Jackson, Tn. 38301
Interment will be Tuesday, March 22, at 1:30 p.m. at the Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at Parkers Crossroads in Parkers Crossroads, Tn.
The Easley family entrusted their loved one to Mercer Brothers Funeral Home.