According to the 1931 Dallas, Texas city directory Cookie Lee Paul was a domestic at Maple Avenue Apartments; she resided at 3616 Thomas Avenue.

The first mention of Cookie Lee Paul was in The Kerrville Times' edition dated October 1, 1936 in which an article, "Darky Girl Who Cut Up Rival's Togs Is In Jail House Now," was printed. The incident which landed Cookie was over the failure of her boy friend to keep a date with her and who later she found in the company of another girl.  Witnesses testified that the boy friend had promised to return to the appointed time and place shortly for their date.  When he failed to returned, Cookie suspected foul play and, as assumed, found him with another girl whereupon Cookie pulled a sharp blade which caused both the third girl and the young man immediately escaped to safer ground.  With nothing else to take her vexation on, Cookie proceeded to use the blade instead on the rival's clothing, shredding them into small remnants and carving up a pair of shoes.  Cookie was assessed a fine of $50 and costs totaling $69.50 for which she was remanded to jail in default of payment.  (The Kerrville Times, October 1, 1936, pg.1)

Later she moves south 65 miles to San Antonio where he life style changes to that of an elite member of African American society and activism.  Cookie Lee Paul was frequently in "Jo's Jottings" social affairs.  One article stated that she was hostess to a beautifully appointed breakfast in July 1942 honoring past Presidents and members of the executive board, Mr. and Mrs. Everett Bumbrey, house guests of Cookie's; the guest count was 75.  The attendants of the social event were important people in the African American activist ranks from areas across the state.

On January 1, 1945 Cookie Lee married Willie Randol Merriweather in Collin County, Texas.  The Dallas, Texas 1945-1947 listed Cookie Lee as owner of Paul's Rest Home, located at 1104 E. 9th.  The 1947 Dallas City Directory shows a change in Cookie's marital status to Mrs. Cookie L. Merreweather; she was clerk at Sun Mutual Burial Association.  Willie P. Merreweather was a salesman for Sun Mutual Burial Association.  They both resided at 1104 East 9th.

Moving from San Antonio, Texas to Denison, Cookie Lee Paul was involved in local African American affairs.  Grayson County Deed Records show that Paul's Rest Home, aka "Paul Lee Rest Home" or "Cookie Lee Paul Rest Home" was located at 330 East Texas Street. 1953-1959.  An advertisement in the paper advertises her rest home as "the Heaven for the aged and blind and veterans and notes the facility has doctors and registered nurses on staff.  (The Denison Press, February 13, 1948)  In June of the same year Mrs. Cookie Lee Paul advertised for a Practical Nurse for her Rest Home, with interviews conducted at 1717 East Houston Street.  (The San Antonio Register, June 25, 1948)
Editor's Note: Cookie Lee is using her maiden name, Paul, by 1948 but retains "Mrs." as her marital status.

In 1954, Cookie Lee brought aged neighbors to the tax office to get their poll tax exemptions.  Among the group were at least three people who claimed to be over the age of 100 - Charley D. Tucker and Ben Gilbert; the third person was Sarah Perry who recalled that her son was stolen when an infant by "cowboys" and that she had never seen him since.

The photographs were taken by Texoma Radio Co.  Carl Whitton was listed as a professional photographer and owner of Texoma  Photo Supply at 126 W. Chestnut.  (The Denison Press, Friday, March 16, 1956, pg. 6)

As early as May 1956 six Negro citizens, representing the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People" attended the school board meeting to read a prepared statement to know what the results of a study of integration regarding the Denison school system had shown.  Cookie Lee Paul was the only woman among the six that was present for the meeting; C.H. Organ was spokesman for the group  The attorney for the Denison school district, Charles Gullett, responded to their request by stating that school was making a comprehensive study of the problems related to the problems of the present school plant in order to be in compliance with the opinion of the United States Supreme Court.  (The Denison Press, May 25, 1956).

On Wednesday in December 1980 a fire, which began in a wood stove about 9:15 a.m., swept through the nursing home on Wednesday, December 30, 1980.  Two elderly  women were killed in the fire as they lay in their beds.  (New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, Wednesday, December 30, 1980, pg. 6)  The fire spread too quickly, fed by an abundance of clothing, mattresses and papers, for the fire department who arrived 10 minutes after the report was received that a fire was burning in the dilapidated building.  The collapse of the roof pinned the women to their beds.  At least 4 and possibly 6 were living in the house.  Ed McKinney escaped and stated that he saw the fire in a couch in a middle room.  (The Times - Shreveport, Louisiana, January 1, 1981, pg. 4)

Cookie Lee Paul died October 11, 1986 at the age of 71 and is buried at Rosehill Garden in Marshall, Harrison County, Texas