Valerie Ennis

Valerie Louise Cunningham Ennis was born on August 4th, 1947, and called home to be with the Lord on Sunday January 16th, 2022. Valerie was born to the late Sheffield (Curley) and Mamie Bell Cunningham. She confessed her love for Christ at an early age in Columbus, MS and held on to that love until her departure from this realm.

She is preceded in death by: both parents; one sister, Zettie Cunningham; six brothers, Clayton Cunningham, Willie B. Cunningham, Billy Ray Cunningham, Sr., Curley Cunningham, Jimmy Lee Cunningham, and Johnny W. Cunningham; one brother-in-law James Higgins, Jr.

Valerie leaves to cherish her memories: loving and devoted husband, Paul Ennis, Sr.; three sons and their wives, Drancy (Cynthia) Ennis; Shaun (Michell) Ennis, Sr.; Paul (Felicia) Ennis, Jr.; four granddaughters, Rebecca Ennis, Jaida Ennis, Tianna Ennis, Aiva Ennis; two grandsons, Shaun Ennis, Jr. and Caleb Ennis; one brother, Eddie James (Mary) Cunningham of Columbus, MS; Christine Higgins of Columbus, MS; sister-in-law a devoted sister-in-law Brenda Rome of Plaquemine, LA; devoted God daughter, Emma Halbert; devoted friend, Dorothy Lang; and a loving host of aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Valerie lived a life that was devoted to her Lord first, her husband second, and family third. Her family was not limited to blood relatives, but also encompassed friends and acquaintances. She was very proud of her loved ones and thankful for having known everyone she encountered. To know her was to love her. If you needed someone to laugh with, cry with, comfort you, help you through a rough patch, pray with, or just chit-chat, she was there and never turned anyone away. If you needed a meal or a snack, she was there for you. If she knew you, she loved you. If she knew of you, she loved you. She had a boisterous laugh and an infectious smile that brightened up the darkest of days. On a good day, you’d hear her singing on of her father’s favorite hymns, “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”.

As the spouse of an Air Force, active-duty service member, she traveled to: Elmendorf AFB, AK; Chanute AFB, IL; Bergstrom AFB, TX; and Luke AFB, AZ. At each duty station she participated in many squadron functions and formed lifelong friendships with those around her. A special thank you to Clarence and Margie Armstrong and the late Larry and Joycelyn Dunlap.

Upon her husband’s retirement from the Air Force, they lived in Plaquemine, LA (his hometown), Columbus, MS (her hometown), and finally settled in San Angelo, TX to be with children and grandchildren. She was a great storyteller and passed along the history of previous generations of family members.

Special words from Paul Ennis, Jr.:

One of my earliest memories is of waking up during a storm and searching around the house. There’s a dimly lit kitchen that I search in, but only the overhead light is on, and no one is there. I keep searching. I run to the hallway, but it’s dark, and I know that I’m not going that way. I make it back to the living room, and I notice the porch door is open. A small figure outside the door rocking back and forth, that I know is my brother, so I run to him. As I’m running, I notice that there’s another figure in the chair, rocking back and forth. A sweet voice that I can hear half humming and half-singing words. Her body turns in the chair, and that sweetness is interrupted by an “UH-OH!” “Uh-OH!” in a playful, raspy voice. It’s Mommy. A grin on her face, that I recognize as --what are you about to do? --, becomes my single focus, and I run to her. Lightning flashes, and the simple hug that I was about to give my mother becomes a big “Help ME” crash into her.The rain is falling, and it’s loud, as puddles form and globs of rain pour into them from the gutters. I was scared as the low, booming thunder let loose moments before, but in Mama’s arms I felt comfort. My head moving to the side, I saw Shaun smiling his big-toothed grin, before he placed them over his bottom lip. If they weren’t scared, I wasn’t going to be scared, either. I mean, I was stronger than Popeye the Sailor Man. “That’s the Lord’s work! You should fear God in his work,” Mama said. Still swaying back and forth, wrapped up in her arms, I learned two things about mama. She would hold me, protect me, and she knew the Lord was working. In ways I didn’t understand. What I did understand was that ma was there, and those big hugs would help me weather the storm.

Valerie Louise Cunningham Ennis. A woman of God. A woman of her marriage. A woman of her family. I feel… I believe… I know that the Sweet Chariot, from the song that she sang, swang low to take her to her final resting place. She always did what she could, for anyone, at any time, and she always had words of encouragement. “You can’t win ‘em all, but you got to keep on going,” “Everything ain’t meant to be,” “No matter what you want to be, you be the best at it,” “You got to give while you can,” and her favorite saying of hope and acceptance through challenging times, “The Lord works in Mysterious ways.” She was full of wisdom. Hard-earned wisdom. Wisdom constructed from a life of living and caring for those around her. Her life led with prayer as the Lord worked in mysterious ways. It may sound like I’m placing her on a pedestal, but her actions will forever speak louder than my words. Actions that become burned into memory:

-Mama would let folks go to the store to get her an item, with a bill too large, just to let them keep the change. An act so dignified, you have to think into it, to see its’ true nature. Giving someone trust to bring the item back, giving them the dignity of feeling like they’ve worked for their pay, and giving them a compliment that made their day better. “That shole was quick, go on and keep that change.”

-Mama would feed folks that were visiting, often. Always, if they said they were hungry, or if they looked like they needed some food. Made sure to put that plate in the oven for daddy, and she would do her thing. Her and dad kept the pantry and the freezer stocked, so she never hesitated to give folks something to eat.

-Mama would make phone calls to folks to see how they were doing. Anyone who ‘fell on her mind,’ if she had the number, she would give them a call.

-Mama would clean and straighten the house, every day. Washed and folded clothes, cleaned and straightened the living room, dining room and bedrooms. Her or Dad would always cook and make sure that we were fed.

-Mama and daddy went without many things, to make sure that we were taken care of. Then and now.

I’m grateful to the brim. I’m forever grateful to have had as much time with my mother as I did. My cup runneth over with good thoughts about her and who she was up until the day that she passed. She thanked the nurses for their care, she thanked the doctors, she thanked her family. As goodness and mercy were of and within her, I know that she found everlasting peace in the embrace of the Lord, and that she will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever and ever.