Toni Rene Bilbrew Booker was born on June 3, 1955, in Portland, Oregon, to Robert Lee and Rosie Lee Bilbrew. She was a beloved daughter, wife, mother, Nana, minister, scholar, and devoted servant of God who touched the lives of many with her unwavering faith and service to God’s people. She was number eight of nine children.
With a love of learning from the start, she graduated from John Adams High with honors, in Portland, OR. She earned a B.S. in Psychology from Portland State University (PSU). During her matriculation at PSU, she met her spiritual and earthly soulmate, Michael Booker. They were married on Jan. 20, 1979. Together, they were blessed with a beautiful family of two boys and one girl: Justin, Mikayla, and Alex. The Booker family went on to expand through their grandchildren, Jodi Renee, Kiyomi, Tahrir, Ellis, and Nyema.
After graduating, Booker moved to Seattle for a position at Pacific Northwest Bell. She continued her career in technology at Lucent Technologies and retired from the University of Washington in 2019.
Booker and Michael joined Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church in 1980. In 1993, Booker stepped into her official role as an ordained minister of the gospel. Lovingly known as The Lady Preacher, Booker served as the Social Justice Minister, head of the youth department, VBS and Sunday School teacher, head of the Women’s Department, and member of Voices of Praise. Booker also worked for eight years as a Chaplain with the King County Juvenile Detention Center and served on the Seattle Baptist Union.
She continued her dedication to others by helping those in need at a women’s shelter in downtown Renton. As an advocate for food equity, Booker also served on the Board of Margie Williams Helping Hands Center for more than six years.
Rev. Booker may be gone from this earthly realm, but her loving legacy will never be forgotten. She continued to fight for what was right and Holy to the very end; surrounded by her loved ones, she gained her wings on Saturday, May 18, 2024, knowing that as a servant of God, all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Certainly, she heard, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Rev. Toni Booker’s Memorial Service will be held on June 3, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Church, 4519 NE 10th Street, Renton, WA 98059.
