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Alexe Cookson
ALEXE COOKSON 1918(?)—1980
GRIEVED LEARN PASSING DEVOTED MAIDSERVANT BAHAULLAH ALEXE COOKSON. ASSURE LOVING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HER IMMORTAL SOUL KINGDOMS GOD. KINDLY CONVEY SYMPATHY FAMILY FRIENDS.
Universal House of Justice
Alexe Cookson was born on the Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, about 1918. Completing her education at boarding-school, she trained as a nurse during World War II. In this period she married a New Zealand Air Force pilot. When peace was declared she emigrated to New Zealand with her young son. In 1964 Alexe became a Bahá’í in Wanganui. She tutored the hard of hearing, employment which enabled her to pioneer to the goal areas of New Plymouth and Nelson.
‘To enumerate the many contributions Alexe
made to the New Zealand community’, fn'ends
have written, ‘would not be as Alexe herself
would wish, as she was very self-effacing and
humble, and saw herself only as a channel to
[Page 731]serve the Cause of God; but among these
were service on Local Spiritual Assemblies,
pioneering, travel—teaching on the homefront
and abroad, and service on committees. She
was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly
for ten years and was its secretary for eight,
until her appointment as Auxiliary Board
member for protection in 1978.” It was during
this time that her fullest and richest service
was rendered, based as it was on a depth of
knowledge of the principles of Bahá’í administration combined with her natural capacity for
winning the confidence of the friends and of
tendering them advice and guidance.
In an entry in her diary in 1949 Alexe confided her concern for her children who were born of parents of different races: ‘Miscegenation is not an easy thing and sometimes I am hurt to the quick by what people say and sometimes I wonder “What have I done? Have I harmed these children? They are neither Celt nor Maori. As they grow up will the social distinctions—and they are quite definite—embitter them, influence them? So many problems! May God help us . . .”’ Sorrow was changed to joy when she discovered the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. Alexe later wrote: ‘Well, God did help and heaped the mercy and bounty of recognizing Bahá’u’lláh on my heart and the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were sweet to my eyes, The lovers of mankind, these are the superior men, of whatever race, creed or colour they may be. To have been able to share the dignity, the wisdom, the love of these words with my children was the greatest moment of my life.’
Alexe worked tirelessly all through the years to bring the message of Bahá’u’lláh to the Maoripeople. She had a great respect and love for them and prayed that this noble race would respond wholeheartedly to the Bahá’í Cause. She wrote and published Te Marama (The Light), a simplified introduction to the Faith which reflected her love for the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh and the Maori people.
In June 1980 she was enabled to make a brief visit to the Holy Land and finally she returned to her native highlands and the relatives of her. youth. On 11 October 1980, shortly before she was due to come home to New Zealand, she died at Fort William, Scotland, and is buried at Kilmarcie Cemetery. She is remembered for her very strong sense
731
of humour, her sense of justice and keenness of mind. On 12 October the Continental Board of Counsellors in Australasia in its cable to the International Teaching Centre made reference to the GREAT LOSS PROTECTION BOARD of THIS DEVOTED STEADFAST CONSECRATED MAIDSERVANT. In reply the International Teaching Centre cabled:
HOUSE OF JUSTICE AND TEACHING CENTRE SHARE YOUR DEEP GRIEF PASSING VALIANT DEVOTED MAIDSERVANT ALEXE COOKSON. WARMLY REMEMBER HER RECENT VISIT HOLY SHRINES. PLEASE INFORM HER FAMILY LOVING PRAYERS OFFERED PROGRESS HER SOUL AND THAT MANIFEST BLESSINGS OF BAHAULLAH BE SHOWERED UPON HER.
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF NEW ZEALAND (assisted by IAN and JILL COOKSON)