Vilma Elaine Booker

Elder Vilma Elaine Booker was born February 3, 1950, in Savana-la-mar, Jamaica to the late Nellie Mattison and Frank Brooks. She departed this life on December 10, 2024, at 10:20 p.m., and is now awaiting the trump of God as she rests from her labor.

Her nickname was Cookie because the name of the doctor who performed the delivery was Doctor Cook. At age 12, she won a Scholarship to Mannings High School in Jamaica, West Indies. Vilma was an outstanding track star who won many medals and gold cups. In fact, she won every race she participated in! Graduating at 16, she taught at Litte London Elementary School for two years. Afterwards she worked a year at the Bauxite Company, then transferred to Kingston to train in Key Punching.

In 1971, two weeks before her 21st birthday, Vilma moved from Jamaica to the United States, obtaining employment as a Key Punch Operator in New York. There she attended Gospel Lighthouse Pentecostal Church in Bayshore, New York under the leadership of Pastor Strickland, preceded by Pastor Paul Powell. Vilma received the Holy Ghost in Jamaica, but here at 21, she received renewal and baptism in Jesus’ name!

On November 13, 1971, she married her lifelong love, James E. Booker. That union produced two sons and a daughter whom she cherished. But Vilma’s great love for children directed her to parti-cipate in foster care. She foster parented many children and eventually decided to adopt their daughter, Breanne.

In 1991, the family moved from New York to Cincinnati, Ohio. Their search for a new church home ended at Bibleway Church in Oxford, Ohio under the blessed leadership of Pastor Lenora Jenkins. Years later, they moved their membership to Abundant Life Apostolic Church under the pastorate of Bishop H.A. Stephens. As ministers, their passion for giving led her and her husband to teach and speak regularly at many nursing homes throughout the city. Many told them how much they appreciated them and welcomed them back. With the help of her daughters, they prepared meals for the sick, a means to minister to their need. In 2019, both Vilma and her husband obtained their Ordained Elders license from Higher Ground AAA, Inc. Elder Vilma truly epitomized love in her quiet and gentle way at church. Always kind and soft-spoken, she exuded the love of God to others. She worked at Princeton’s Before and After School Program from 1999 to 2005. She continued foster care work in Cincinnati with Dr. Linda and Pastor Lonnie Johnson through Angels Guarding Youth Services Inc., through 2017.

Vilma is preceded in death by her parents, Nellie Mattison and Frank Brooks; her brother, Hopton (Evelyn) Brooks; and her sister, Jean Mendez.

She leaves to mourn: her husband, James Booker; her sisters, Ena (Sydney) Young and Rose (Cornelius) Stewart; her sons, Troy (Marcie) Booker and Jordan Booker; her daughters, Kai (Fredrick) Lattimore and Breanne Booker; her grandchildren, Marvis Harshaw, Cameron Harshaw, Arielle Carter and Caleb Booker; and a host of nieces, nephews, godchildren, church family and friends.

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