Pamela Ruth Cooks - Persley was born on May 18, 1951 in Thornton, Texas to Robert and Ella Beatrice (Brooks) Cunningham. She was their second child.

Pamela was raised in Ferris, Texas and attended Dunbar High School in Ferris, Texas.  She also attended J.N. Ervin in Dallas, Texas.

She accepted Christ early in life and united with Macedonia Church in Ferris, Texas.

Pamela married Billy Don Cooks. This union was blessed with three children.  She later married James Persley.

She worked as a machine operator at Sweetheart Cup Company, where she retired. On May 26, 2017 in DeSoto, Texas, Pamela left this earth on the Wings of Angels. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ella Beatrice Powers and Robert Cunningham; grandmother, Clara Brooks.

Loving survivors include: husband, James Persley of Dallas, Texas; two sons, Tony Cooks, and Billy Don Cooks, Jr., Both of Dallas, Texas; daughter, Tonya Cooks-Fowler (Kendreon of Dallas, Texas; brother, Claude Stanley (Mary Ann) Byrd; aunts, Frankie Ruth Dawkins, Clara Faye Lindley; five grandchildren; four great grandchildren, a host of other aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.