The Boston Housing Authority mourns the passing of Anna Cole, 93, a historic tenant leader, devoted mother, and beloved matriarch of the Mildred C. Hailey community.

Over the course of her life, Anna became one of the defining tenant leaders of Mildred C. Hailey (formerly known as Bromley-Heath Apartments). Anna dedicated herself to advocating for her neighbors and creating opportunities for generations of children that called Mildred C. Hailey home.

In 1967, as a member of Mothers for Action, Anna was instrumental in bringing a health center to the development. The Martha Eliot Health Center first opened in Bromley Hall to provide infant care before later expanding to a state-of-the-art facility on Bickford Street.

Anna worked closely with Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) to bring youth programming, free breakfasts, and recreation programs to BHA children at Bromley Hall, which was later renamed the Anna Mae Cole Community Center. She was also deeply involved in efforts to stop the construction of I-95 through the Southwest Corridor.

In 1968, alongside the late Mildred C. Hailey, Anna co-founded the Bromley-Heath Tenant Management Corporation, which became the first tenant-run public housing management corporation in the United States, where Anna went on to serve as the Chair. 

In the 1990s, Anna worked as a property manager at Whittier Street Apartments. After retiring from the BHA, Anna continued her lifelong commitment to her community as a Boston Public Schools crossing guard. She read to children, helped them safely onto their school buses, and sometimes bought hats and gloves to keep them warm through the winter.

“Anna raised eight children of her own, and she was a mother to so many others who grew up at Bromley,” said Cheryl Patterson, a longtime BHA manager and niece of the late Mildred Hailey. “She was a queen in our community and always greeted you with a smile. She was just a beautiful soul.”

“Anna Cole was a force in her community and an extraordinary example of resident leadership,” said BHA Administrator Kenzie Bok. “Her advocacy, compassion, and her lifelong commitment to resident empowerment left a lasting mark on our  community. Her legacy will endure in the generations of residents whose lives she impacted through her work.”


Details of Anna Cole’s arrangements are below.

Friday, April 17, 2026

Wake/Viewing 10:00 a.m.
Homegoing Service 11:00 a.m.

Morning Star Baptist Church
1257 Blue Hill Avenue
Mattapan, MA 02126

Private Burial

Repast to follow

Prince Hall Grand Lodge
24 Washington Street
Dorchester, MA 02121

Services entrusted to Floyd Williams Funeral Home