Essie Leora Prince-Cobbins

Essie Leora Prince-Cobbins was born September 30, 1932 in Redbird, Okla., to the union of Katherine and Melvin Prince, Sr. She was the oldest of seven children. Her parents; a sister, Gloria Frank; and a brother, Leon Richardson preceded her in death.

Essie’s childhood upbringing was in Wagoner, Okla. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior at an early age and was baptized at Union Baptist Church.

Essie attended school also in Wagoner, Okla., completing her education at Lincoln High School. Essie was an exceptional student, who was advanced by two grades eventually graduating in 1949.

Soon afterwards in that same year, Essie moved to Kansas City, Mo. While in Kansas City, Essie met Cleotis Cobbins and the two were married on March 17, 1956; it was a marriage that lasted 23 years.

Essie and Cleotis were hardworking parents, providing for, raising and educating their six children who attended schools in the Kansas City, Mo., school system.

Essie worked in home interiors, a factory that specialized in sewing drapes. In 1970, the Cobbins family moved to Washington, Pa. After about eight months, the family returned to Kansas City. Essie began employment in the school system, working for the Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) School District. She assisted in the classroom as a paraprofessional. She was assigned to several elementary schools over a 10-year period. This was her first stint with the KCMO School District.

Obviously, it was a dramatic shift from her previous work as an interior designer, but Essie began to embrace working in settings where it became apparent kids needed help and guidance.

Essie later became an officer of the court for Jackson County Juvenile Court. The work was more challenging than working with school-aged children, as she often witnessed firsthand the teens’ behavioral challenges. She hung in there as long as she could, working rotating shifts and adjusting to life as a single parent.

Although Essie enjoyed interaction with her co-workers, she decided to leave the court system and return to the classroom, hence Essie’s second KCMO School District employment at Northeast School until she retired.

With all six children as adults, Essie once again wanted to live elsewhere and set her sights on Las Vegas, Nev. This move marked the longest time she lived outside of Kansas City. After five years as a Nevada resident, she returned home.

Yet, if you ask anyone to name something he or she remembers about Essie, without hesitating many would rave about her cooking. Essie loved to cook. She often invited and expected family, friends and neighbors to come by, dine in and yes, carry out. No gathering for a meal at Essie’s was complete without a doggy bag or Tupperware in tow as her guests said their goodbyes.

Whether it was her health, the challenges her children experienced, celebrating their accomplishments or her own adverse circumstances, Essie’s belief in God would be the main reason she could make it through life. Over the course of her retirement years, Essie’s church memberships were Park Avenue Baptist Church (then-Pastor Carl Johnson), Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (the late Pastor Wallace S. Hartsfield, Sr.) and Bread of Life East Church (Bishop Otis Lee Cobbins, Jr.).

On July 31, 2011, Essie joined the St. Luke United Methodist Church (UMC), Kansas City, Mo. Rev. Steve Williams currently serves as pastor. She was active in church attendance, Sunday School and the 1st Saturday morning breakfast fellowships.

About three years ago, Essie’s church participation began to diminish with the onset of health challenges and a series of hospital and rehab stays.

Oct 13, 2020, God ushered Essie into His eternal rest and care. Essie leaves behind to cherish her memory six children: five daughters, Kathy (Larry) Jones, Lenexa, Ks.; Regina Boles and Rev. Anita L. Cobbins, both of Kansas City, Mo.; Minister Tressa (James) Whitney, Independence, Mo.; and Sharion Renee Cobbins, Overland Park, Ks.; one son, Pastor Cleotis (Pamela) Cobbins, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.

To her eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, she was known and will be remembered as “Mother”. Grandchildren: Shonte (Marcus) Guess, Janel-Jones (Malcolm) Norwood, Earnestine Boles, Brandon Boles, Dominique James, Cleotis “CJ” (Whitney) Cobbins, III, Christian “Chrissy” Cobbins and Cherish Cobbins. Great Grandchildren: Marques Guess, Brandon “BJ” Boles, II, Ryan Rainey, Skylaur James, Jordan Lewis, Coby James, Journee Cobbins and Jayleigh Cobbins.

Essie is also survived by four siblings: one brother, Melvin (Cynthia) Prince, Kansas City, Mo., and three sisters: Ruthie Mae Crawford, Tulsa, Okla., Elwanda Jones and Andra Henley, Kansas City, Mo. Essie also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, the St. Luke UMC family and friends.

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