LULA BELLE “COOKY” (MADDOX) MAYS

1943-2020

Cooky Mays passed away on Sunday, July 19, due to complications from COVID 19.

Cooky Mays was born on April 9, 1943 in Houston, Texas to Jack and Lula Belle (McMurrey) Maddox of Palacios, Texas. She graduated from Palacios High School in 1961 and then attended the University of Texas in Austin. She graduated from the University of Texas in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. Cooky was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and served in several offices of her sorority and sang for the “Theta Octet”.

Cooky married Howard Wright Mays, III, and for over 45 years they lived a life full of adventures. Her life achievements are best described as a desire to help others. She blessed us with her generous and energetic heart, and gave countless hours in service to the community.

Cooky Mays, CFRE, has an extensive background in fundraising and non-profit management, including senior development positions with Today’s Harbor for Children, the Alzheimer’s Association for Houston and Southeast Texas, and Spring Branch Independent School District, for which she was Executive Director of the District’s Foundation.

She has served her profession and colleagues through the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). As a Past President of the Houston AFP chapter, Cooky served on the AFP- Greater Houston Chapter board for six years, and chaired the chapter’s National Philanthropy Day. Through AFP, she has provided probono consulting and event consultation for a number of Houston area nonprofits. She has been a senior professional mentor for new development professionals, and has presented on various fundraising topics at AFP’s “Ask the Experts” annual conference.

Cooky has made leadership impacts in many different areas. She was a past president of Women of the Church for First Presbyterian Church of Houston. From 2008 2011, she served as a Council member of the City Council of Bunker Hill Village. Cooky currently served on the Board of Today’s Harbor for Children (formerly Boys & Girls Harbor). She has served as Chairman for the School Advisory Council from 2015 - 2018 for the School of Human Ecology at the University of Texas in Austin. Cooky was formerly honored as Theta of the Year by the Houston chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta and chaired the 2009 Theta Charity Antiques Show. In May 2018, she served as Ways & Means chair for Houston Area Panhellenic Association and chaired their Scholarship Luncheon. Cooky is a trustee of HAPA’s foundation.

Cooky joined the Houston Junior Forum in 1981, and it has been an integral part of her life ever since. She has held many leadership roles in the Forum serving as President and chairing multiple major fundraising events. In 2019, Cooky was the honoree of the Conversations from the Heart event for her many contributions both to HJF and other not for profit organizations. Cooky completed her last official HJF role, President of the Forum’s Endowment Fund in May of 2020. The family often joked that she was a president looking for an organization.

In addition to her own consulting firm, Mays Consulting, Cooky has been the Managing Consultant in Houston for Skystone Ryan, Inc., an international fullservice non-profit consulting firm. She is also one of the principals with Niles Partners, a Houston non-profit consulting firm.

More than any of her accomplishments, Cooky will be remembered for her constant energetic positive attitude. She was always ready with encouraging words, and never wanted to miss ANYTHING that might be fun! She is survived by her husband, Howard Wright Mays, III and her three children, Christy Mays Clettenberg (Steve), Stephanie Belle Mays Bozarth (Austin), and Dr. Matthew Maddox Mays (Stephanie). She will be fondly remembered as Gammy by her nine grandchildren Carson, Annabelle, Katy, Caroline, Madeline, Luke, Charlotte, Jake, and William. Cooky is also survived by her youngest sister, Patricia Matthew.

Cooky is preceeded in death by her parents, Jack and Lula Belle Maddox and her younger sister, Carolyn Nelle Maddox Shelton.

A Memorial Service will be held at Second Baptist Church in the Old Sanctuary 6400 Woodway Dr. on Saturday July 25th at 1PM. A burial for family and friends will be held at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Coldspring, Texas on Sunday following.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the MPS Society in honor of Cooky’s granddaughter Annabelle Bozarth would be appreciated. Online Donations: www. mpssociety.org or donations by Mail: Make check payable to the National MPS Society and mail to the following address:

National MPS Society c/o Donations in Memory of Cooky Mays to Honor Annabelle Bozarth

PO Box 14686 Durham, NC 27709-4686 MPS Society is a 501(c)(3) number is 112734849