Essie Lee Dooley was born August 22, 1938, in Tampa FL to the late Lorenzo Johnson and Willie Mae Jones. Essie attended the public schools of Hillsborough County and graduated from Blake High School, with the class of 1958. She worked for Hillsborough County Nutritional Services, where she excelled in cooking and became the head baker. After 21 years, she retired and began to really enjoy the fruits of her labor.

She was preceded in death by her parents, grandmother Essie Mae Johnson, husband Joe Mack Dooley, son John Bagley Jr., and daughter Miriam Loretta Johnson.

Essie Lee Dooley's cherished and fond memories will be carried on through the legacy of her children, Curtis Dooley, Robert Dooley, and Renard Dooley; grandchildren, Antonika Shellman, Dionne Brown, Justin Brown, Nicolle Rangel, Tiaquanna Dooley, Curtis Dooley Jr., Keevis Dooley, Kevon Dooley, Alexis Dooley, Keone Dooley and Sheneka Dooley. Six great-grandchildren. Sisters: Betty Jean Johnson, Marjorie Judge, Shirley Judge-Blount and husband Kenneth, Joyce Judge, Olivia Judge, and brother Anthony Jones. A host of nieces and nephews, cousins, relatives, and friends.