Obituary of Melvina Maxcine Colley

Melvina "Mel" Maxcine Colley (Bennett) entered this life on December 29, 1950 in Washington, D.C., the first born of the union of the late Matthew Bennett and Minnie Lee Ratliff-Bennett. She fell asleep in death, at the age of 70, on January 2, 2021, in Camden, NJ. Mel spent her earliest years in Woodstown but lived most of her life as a resident of the City of Camden. She was a graduate of Camden High School Class of '69. During her high school years, Mel was a dedicated and loving caretaker of her younger siblings, helping to raise them after the untimely passing of their beloved mother in 1965. One to always be productive, Mel was consistently employed, beginning with her first job behind the Audubon JC Penney Candy Counter. The "little powerhouse" went on to work for 35 years in Cash Applications for MacMillan/Simon & Schuster Publishing. During her working years, Mel resumed her studies and rededicated herself to learning and teaching others about Jehovah. After being approved in her studies, she was baptized on December 18, 1999. She then took an early retirement in 2013 so that she could enter the ministry full time as a Pioneer. It was her great passion to serve Jehovah God in this role, and Mel was dedicated to the job beyond doubt. Everyone who knew Melvina also knew that her other great passion and dedication was to being a wonderful and devoted wife, friend, and mother. She was married to her beloved husband Cedric "Tony" Colley (deceased) on July 15, 1989 and remained devoted to their union throughout the remainder of her life. Sweet, fair, generous and kind, a great many people could claim Mel as a compassionate and loving sister/aunt/friend. She was known to pop by with a surprise peach cobbler, giant container of homemade soup, or a delicious sweet potato pie. And if you were ever in a tight spot financially, she would step in to help if it was within her means. The thing she was probably best known for was being an incredible mother. It was the job that she took most seriously and one that seemed to give her the most joy outside of her ministry. There was almost never a time when you would see Mel without her "Toohy". In her later years she also transitioned into a wonderful mother-in-law and grandmother, always expressing pride and excitement about her "little family". Melvina was preceded in death by her first husband, Sidney B. Gorham, Sr., second husband Cedric A. Colley; parents Matthew Bennett and Minnie Lee Ratliff-Bennett; siblings Beverley, Naomi, Violetha, Nannette, Tyrone, Charles, Amy, stepsister Beverly, and special niece Raneen. She is survived by her son Sidney Gorham, Daughter-in-law Nicole, granddaughter Sydnee, grandson Daniel; siblings Beatrice, Alice (Jimmy), Jamal (Cheryl), Joe (Sonia), Laura, Mack, Hazel, Jonathan, Tony, Dayle (Tatica) and Jaqueline. She also leaves behind special friends Maria Kieve and Sheryl Tann, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and close friends. She will be greatly missed.