La Frieda M. Coomes

La Frieda M. Coomes, also known as "Miss Peachy", passed peacefully from this life on Saturday, January 12, 2013, at her home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She was almost 89 years old.

La Frieda was born on January 15, 1924, in Wayland, Kentucky. She was the ninth child of William Raney Mullins and Emma Lou Mullins. After graduating from high school in Maryland, she enrolled in the Cadet Nurse Corps Program during World War II. She received her RN degree shortly after the end of the war, therefore she did not serve in active duty. La Frieda continued her nursing career for forty years, primarily serving the citizens of Harford County.

On May 9, 1954 La Frieda married Paul William Coomes of Harford County. They had three daughters. La Frieda and Paul resided in the same home they built together, in Bel Air, for their entire marriage of forty two years. During their marriage, Paul and La Frieda were active members of the Aberdeen Church of Christ, where they served the Lord and the congregation faithfully. After Paul's death in 1996, La Frieda moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico to be closer to her daughters.

In New Mexico, La Frieda thrived with her love of life, family, and God. She was very active in her church congregation, as she had been in Maryland. There, she was a member of the Dorcas Ministry, sewing hundreds of quilts for needy families all over the world. La Frieda loved to sew. Almost every member of her family has a beautiful quilt, lovingly designed and stitched by her precious hands.

Most of all, her passion was for the Lord. La Frieda was baptized on January 19, 1943 in a creek in Globe, Kentucky. She devoutly studied her Bible and always had a song of praise in her heart. If anyone has ever truly displayed the Spirit of God, it was her. Her warmth, kindness, gentleness, benevolence and positive attitude will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She was a shining light to anyone who ever met her.

La Frieda is survived by her three daughters and their husbands; Paula and Robert Johnson, of Las Cruces, New Mexico; Brenda and John Bradshaw of Phoenix, Arizona; and Emily and Peter Bennett of Las Cruces, New Mexico. She is also survived by six grandchildren, affectionately called varmits. They are Jared Johnson, Joel Johnson, John Bradshaw III and his wife Jamie, Paul William Bradshaw and his wife Elizabeth, Jasper Bennett Brusuelas and her husband Chris, and Hillary Bennett. She has two great grandchildren, Will and Hannah Bradshaw. La Frieda is survived by two sisters, Margie Whittaker of Hagerstown, Maryland and Mary Hance of Cary, North Carolina.

Pallbearers will be her four grandsons and three son-in-laws.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Aberdeen Church of Christ, 90 Mt. Royal Avenue, Aberdeen, Maryland, 21001