Winnie Stokes Wooley's Obituary
April 10, 1939, was the sunrise of an incredibly amazing little girl. She was the third daughter of Robert Stokes and Gracie Elizabeth Hood Stokes, and they named her Winnie Vell. Everyone quickly saw that she was going to leave a remarkable footprint on the world.
Winnie Vell Stokes was born and raised in Tyler (Smith County), Texas, where she regularly attended Jackson Spring Hill Baptist Church and Jackson Spring Hill Church of God in Christ. She attended St. Louis Elementary School, loved Math, and graduated from Emmett Scott High School with high academic honors.
Winnie’s educational aspirations led her to attend Prairie View A&M College, where she made a great impression on the instructors and classmates and handily earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Mathematics. She then went to Virginia and earned her Master's Degree at Virginia State University. No matter where she lived, Winnie remained an active financial alumna supporter of Prairie View A&M College (University).
She met Prairie View A&M University alumna George Leon Wooley, Sr., in January 1962 while she attended Graduate School at Virginia State College (VSC) in Petersburg, Virginia. George and Winnie were married on October 19, 1964, by Rev. N. Howard Stanton in Alexandria, Virginia.
Winnie Vell Stokes Wooley was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., on May 14, 1966, as a member of the Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter and later joined the
Princess Anne Alumnae Chapter. In the early 1980s, Winnie joined the Prince George's
County Alumnae Chapter (PGCAC) and was the first President of the Prince George's
County Alumnae Chapter to serve two terms.
In 1990, she served as Sargent-at-Arms during the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.'s 40thNational Convention in Miami, Florida. Winnie was a "start on time" President and a "no-nonsense" Soror. Under Soror Wooley’s administration, there was a focus on unfair housing practices, voting registration, and education; the Historical Black Colleges and Universities tour began and remains a fundamental program today.
Winnie taught Physics and Mathematics at Bowie High School and served as Director of the Howard B. Owens Science Center located on Greenbelt Road in Lanham, MD.
George and Winnie purchased a house in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, in 1965 and lived there with twin sons Michael-Leon Wooley (who, as an adult, became an actor on stage and screen), starred on Broadway, and now lives in Toluca Lake, California. Michael-Leon is the voice of Louis the Alligator in the Disney movie Princess and the Frog; Michael, along with his twin Marcus, are graduates of Bowie High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland); Marcus Leon Wooley (an accomplished Database Contractor) also attended Frostburg University, majoring in Computer Science. Marcus played football and became an All-American in Track and Field at the Penn State Relays in 1983 when his 4x400 relay team won the title. Marcus established his technology company, MLW Solutions Inc., over 25 years ago, owns and is captain of his boat Big Wooley Style, and is a member of Black Captains on the Chesapeake. Marcus lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with their wife, Judy Laverne, and their daughter, Victoria Kristin. Victoria is a student at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, studying business. She is also the CEO of MLW Solutions Inc.). Their third son, George L. Wooley, Jr. (a graduate of Suitland High School, Visual and Performing Magnet Program who lived in Germany while his father worked there. George Jr. traveled throughout Europe, attended the University, and returned to Florida. He now resides in Chicago, Illinois.
Winnie and George Leon Wooley, Sr. traveled to every continent except Australia; their most memorable trips were to Egypt, the Holy Land, South Korea, and Kenya. They also traveled on bus trips to Mt. Rushmore and the Grand Canyon, cruised to Alaska, stayed in Yellowstone National Park, and took a train trip through Mexico to see their massive Grand Canyon. They visited places like the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cambridge and Wallops Island Flight Center in Virginia.
Winnie and George relocated to Salisbury, MD, where she worked in their Church Food Pantry for 15 years before moving to Annapolis on April 9, 2022. They enjoyed getting to know the city and reconnecting with friends. After a brief illness, George, Sr. preceded Winnie in death on February 6, 2023. Later the same year, Winnie moved to Chicago and experienced a period of illness while living there. She fought a strong, courageous battle to the very end; then GOD quietly called her to travel one more time home to Heaven. Winnie Vell Stokes Wooley’s sunset came on March 10, 2025.
She leaves behind many loving relatives, loyal friends, dedicated Sorors, and three Sons who will cherish fond memories of all the wonderful days they spent together.
In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Winnie Wooley asked that all donations be made to the General
Engineering Scholarship Fund, which students from all engineering disciplines have access to:
General Engineering Scholarship Fund #557630 Object code: 0292
ATTN: Prairie View A & M University - The Office of Development
(936) 261 - 1550 (office) - [email protected]
What’s your fondest memory of Winnie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Winnie?
Share a story where Winnie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Winnie you’ll never forget.
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