and Elizabeth Daisy (Battle) Cuffie on October 2nd, 1954 in Detroit, MI.
He was the second oldest born to this union. Robert grew up on Detroit’s
East Side and attended Detroit Public Schools. Affectionately called “Buck” by
his close family and neighborhood friends, he grew up with a love for reading,
watching old westerns, and playing baseball. He attended Burnette Baptist Church
where his parents were charter members and sat under great preachers and leaders,
sang in the choir, and developed a love for God and his word.
Robert attended Northeastern High School, where he excelled in academics,
basketball, and baseball. He also developed and led the school choir. And upon
graduating in 1972, came the birth of his first born daughter, Tomeka Cohen, his
first blessing from the Lord.
After that, Robert rededicated his life to the Lord and felt called into ministry.
He went on to obtain his Bachelors in Clinical Pastoral Psychology and Theology
from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Master’s in Divinity from
Bishop College in Dallas, Texas. During his time at Morehouse, Robert started
a dorm ministry where many students witnessed the power of God through his
preaching and teaching and would come to know Jesus.
Robert moved back to Detroit in 1980, where he later met and married Pamela
Bright with whom he had two children, Robbie and LaToya. Though this marriage
dissolved, the fruit born to their union served as another blessing from God.
In 1989 while pastoring Freedom Love Baptist Church, Robert reconnected
with an old friend, Angela Cogborn, and after one year of courting, the two were
engaged to be married after a “long winded proposal” according to Angie. In
1991 they entered into covenant, uniting his three children and Angela’s five
children; Zakiya, Kamaal, Kamesha, Amber and Matthew, and together birthing
three children; Christa, Daniel, and Gabrielle. They were a family filled with a
deep love and affection for one another.
During that time, Freedom Love Missionary Baptist Church became Praise
Christian Tabernacle or “Fort Praise” to some, and it was there that Robert and
Angela began to develop their ministry. They would preach and lead worship
all over the city, putting on plays, fashion shows, recitals and community events
that would show the love of Christ. Week after week, Robert would share about
the transformative power of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. He would
often shout out, “HOLY GHOST AND FIRE!!” no matter where he was. For
over 50 years, Robert had an immovable conviction that Jesus Christ was the
Way, the Truth and the Life and he made it his life’s mission to let everyone he
came in contact with know who he served. He had a heart to see people saved,
transformed and delivered by the washing of the word and the blood of the
Lamb.
Robert’s health began to decline in 2015, but he still proclaimed, “My body is
the temple of the Holy Ghost,” and completely trusted in the One he loved the
most. He preached Christ for as long as his body would allow, and on Wednesday,
October 4th, Robert peacefully breathed his last breath surrounded by his family
and filled with faith in Jesus. He always said, “No Retreat! No Surrender! No
Giving Up!” and in that, he kept his word. He fought the good fight of faith until
the end and he is now resting in the arms of the Father.
He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 32 years, Angela Cuffie, his children;
Tomeka, Zakiya, Kamaal, Robbie, Kamesha (Phonz Phillips), LaToya, Amber,
Christa, Daniel, and Gabrielle (Muhammad), and his baby sister, Cynthia
(Leonard Baker), 15 grandchildren; Ayisha, Arielle, Jasmyne, Jermaine, Justin,
Mackenzie, Zryah, Sincere, Corynne, Blake, Laila, Nalayah, Davis, Jace, and
Madison, his nieces and nephews; Lakia, Shonda, Anthony (Paula), and Jordan,
and a host of cousins, spiritual children, family and friends.
He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Robert & Elizabeth Cuffie, his
son, Matthew, and his siblings, Sally, David, Linda, and Darrin. He will forever
be greatly missed.
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