Dr. Lorraine Helen Buckley (Mayes) PhD

Lorraine Helen Mayes-Buckley affectionately known as “Tootie”, or “Wendy” was born to the union of Samuel A. Mayes Jr. and Verdester Vaughn and one sister Sandra Weston. After the divorce of her parents, Lorraine relocated to New York with her family where she attended, The School of the Performing Arts and cultivate her love for drawing and art. She returned to Detroit, where she would graduated from Kettering High School. She married young and bore two children from her first marriage, Roxanne Walker-Brock & Patrice; Aasit Walker-Kheperu and with her second marriage, gave birth to her youngest daughter, Shannon Carter-Kennedy.

Lorraine worked as a LPN for ten years at Northwest General Hospital, but always a believer in education, attended Wayne State University for her Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice and continued on to receive a Master of Science in Human Service and a Doctoral in Philosophy in Counseling Studies from Capella University.

During all of her studies, she had a rewarding career in social services earning accolades from colleagues and social services organizations and highlighted in the Michigan Chronicle for her commitment to service.

An advent consumer of knowledge and the arts, she was known to be reading two books at one time, crafting a project of some kind, wether it be knitting, painting or beading one of her inspired Native American designs, which she sold online and in art shows. She collected Native American Art, dolls with historical references and many recordings of Motown music and jazz.

Lorraine and her husband Corey Buckley loved to travel by themselves and with family. Taking trips to conventions and one of her favorite places to Northern Michigan or Niagara Falls. Lorraine loved to plan family events and was always a proud & boastful bragger of any accomplishment her family members made. She was raised to put family first and that was what she did, commonly attending many events in support of her grandchildren.

She leaves to cherish and honor her memory: Husband of Fifteen Years Corey Buckley. Stepmother Mae Mayes, Daughters: Roxanne Walker-Brock, Aasit Walker-Kheperu, & Shannon Kennedy. Son in laws: Toussaint Brock Sr., Kamau Kheperu & Mario Kennedy Sr. Niece: Kim Weston.

Grand-children: Toussaint Brock Jr., Oyah Kheperu, Rashidah Kheperu, Obafemi Kheperu, Akintude Kheperu, Leilani Carter, Mario Kennedy Jr., Amari Kennedy. Great-Niece & Nephew: Devin Haller, Shamara Whitfield. Great-grandchild: Ellena Rachelle Loes.

Bonus sons and daughters: DeJuan Jones, Damon Buckley (Stephanie Buckley), Shatoya Buckley, Corin Buckley, Cristine Buckley and a host of cousins and friends.