Ella Mae Hamm Coake Obituary

Ella Mae Hamm Coake departed this life on the morning of January 25, 2025, when Jesus wrapped his arms around her and escorted her over Heaven's Threshold, her children by her side. Our beautiful mother, although absent on this earth, is now forever present with her Lord & Savior.
Ella Mae was born in Matoaka, West Virginia, July 10, 1929, where she attended grades 1-12, graduating as Salutatorian of the Matoaka High School Class of 1947. She went to work in the village's company store and supported her family when her father, with Black Lung Disease, became disabled. At this same company store is where she met her future husband, Raymond Coake, when he walked into the store, pretending to buy a sweater. She knew something more was up when he eventually bought three sweaters, on different days, the same style, just different colors.
They were married April 15, 1951, and had four children: Gerald, Brenda, Beverly & Stacy. In between her third and fourth child, she managed to work in a college education. She graduated top of her class from Radford College with a certification in the office/secretarial/clerical vocation in the late 1960s. Honored with an invitation to work at the Pentagon, starting at the highest pay grade offered at the time, she turned it down to keep her family stable, her husband secure in his pastoral work, his employment at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, and her children not uprooted, leaving the schools in which they were already grounded.
During her 20's, into early 30s, Ella Mae was a precision seamstress for the Dublin Garment Factory. After her graduation from Radford College, she worked for Pulaski Furniture in the Customer Service division for a couple of years. Upon her resignation, this ultimately became the end of her professional career, as she preferred to focus on family and raising her kids, her real aspiration in life.
Ella Mae played piano and was a huge support for her minister/pastor husband, the ordained Rev. Raymond M. Coake. They pastored several Virginia churches of the Church of God denomination in Grapefield, Galax, started the church in Pearisburg, pastored Barren Springs, East Radford, Newbern and back to Pearisburg before retiring after more than 40 years of service, evangelizing in between a couple of the pastorals.
Ella Mae had many interests, including sewing, cooking, her family's fur babies, and beautiful flowers. Every talent was reflected in her creative sewing skills, and her recipes she shared with family, friends, and her church. Extended was her love for animals, adopting several family dogs throughout the years. Beautiful flowers she always admired and grew coiffed flower gardens, her irises, roses and crepe myrtle bushes some of her favorites.
Ella Mae Hamm Coake is preceded in death by her husband Raymond, 2005, son Gerald, 1995, and his infant daughter Nikki Lynn Coake, 1981, as well as her parents, James & Beulah Hamm and 5 of her siblings... Dewey Arnold Hamm (18 months old), Otis Hamm, James Hamm, Scottie Franklin Hamm, and Euva Panell.
Ella Mae is survived by her daughter Brenda Bouschard-Hughes, husband Robert of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter Beverly Rowland, husband Bob of Suwanee, Georgia; son Stacy Coake of Suwanee, Georgia; granddaughter Kayla Rowland of Nashville, Tennessee; grandson Joshua Rowland of Knoxville, Tennessee; and grandson Brandon Coake, wife Jessi and great granddaughters Brylee & Elliana of Yulee, Florida. She is also survived by her last living sibling Frances, husband John Hagy, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, as well as many nieces and nephews on both sides.
Ella is also survived by countless friends, including her best friend Darlene and her close friend and neighbor of 66 years Betty. She was always going to lunch or dinner with someone, constantly making new friends wherever she went.
Still a vibrant 95 and 1/2 year old (she didn't forget the half!), she was high functioning and blessed with a long life. Ella Mae Hamm Coake is forever loved and missed by all who knew her, especially her family. Rest in peace, Mother/Nana/Ella Mae: We love you, and we'll see you again.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 PM – Monday, February 3, 2025 at the Pulaski Church of God with Pastor Donald Jones and nephew, Dr. Otis Hamm officiating. Interment will follow at the Highland Memory Gardens, Dublin.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 – 12:45 pm before service time at the Church.
To sign her online guestbook, visit www.bowerfuneralhome.com - Bower Funeral Home & Crematory, Pulaski is handling the arrangements for the family.