WARREN A. MACKEY

On Monday, February 1, 2021, the Lord peacefully called home Warren Adrian Mackey (age 54) to his just reward after a long battle with heart disease.

Warren was born on April 15, 1966, in Albany, New York. He was one of seven children born to the late Reverend Zeddie Mackey and the late Jeanette McCoy Mackey (Hackett). Warren loved his mother and father and would share childhood memories fondly of their parental influence. His dad instilled in him his charisma and personality and in his later years, he was greatly influenced by his "Uncle Bennie," who took Warren under his wing introducing him to people around Albany where Warren learned to appreciate the value of “better to know them and not need them;  then to need them and not know them”.

Warren attended Albany & Greenwood High School, graduating in 1984. He attended Green Mountain College in Vermont, where he played basketball and earned his bachelor's degree.

Warren accepted Christ at an early age at the Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, Albany, NY, under the late Reverend William Roland, Pastor, and his grandfather Reverend Charlie E McCoy beginning his service unto the Lord, specifically in music ministry. He was baptized at the age of 10 years old and united with the Union Missionary Baptist Church under the Late Reverend Louis C. Brewer pastorate. There, he continued to utilize his musical gifts under the late Thelma M. Coleman, Musician.

In 1984, Warren united with the Metropolitan NTM Baptist Church under the late Reverend Dr. Earnest E. Drake's pastoral leadership. Warren was a long-standing member of church active in the Metropolitan Church Choir and served as President. He was also a member of the Male Chorus, serving as their President on the Praise Team and DPJ Choir.

Warren served in the Laymen's ministry at Metropolitan and the Central Hudson Baptist Association Laymen and the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention of New York Laymen's auxiliary. His fundraising efforts brought in the most amount of money across the State of New York, earning him the crown "King."

Warren enjoyed serving on the Pastor's Aide committee and was instrumental in bringing accomplished gospel artists to perform at Pastor Johnson's pre-anniversary musical services. He was also a member of the Edna L. Hamilton Global Missions Ministry at Metropolitan and played a significant role in making the annual Thanksgiving baskets. He was on Metropolitans' bowling league for many years. On Mother's Day, Warren would give flowers to all the church mothers that have been a significant influence in his life. He also shared his wisdom and knowledge with many of the younger generations in the church. He was affectionally known as "Uncle Warren." Many of them today contribute their success to the direction and guidance he instilled in them.

He was a very popular and sought-after soloist. He sang at weddings, homegoing services, bar mitzvahs, Christian programs, and more. Although his health was failing, Warren did not let that stop him from using his anointing gift to encourage someone. He went to hospitals, nursing homes, colleges, and civic events. Whenever asked, Warren would go often accompanied by one of his very best friends and the Minister of Music at Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Dennis L. Edney. Warren used his vocal gift to help lead souls to Christ. Singing was Warren's testimony on how Christ blessed his life. He would stand flatfooted, twisting his ring, and with tears streaming down his face, he would sing "Stand," "My soul is Anchored in the Lord," "Jesus You're the Center of My Joy," and other crowd favorites.

Warren served as an Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach from 2012-2018 at Green Tech Charter High School. In 2014 he helped Green Tech advance to the Regional finals and ultimately become the Section II New York State Basketball Champions. In 2017 & 2018, he served as the head Freshman basketball coach. He assisted with sending dozens of student-athletes to college for academics and sports. He led the way to raise millions of scholarship awards for many. Warren would bring Green Tech students to assist Metropolitan in their Thanksgiving basket giveaway and the community's food distributions. To this day, students are thankful to him for leading their young lives to a better future. He also coached the EMBC Jr. Layman’s basketball team and won the state championship. He was also a Black and Latino Achiever himself and then became a mentor.

Lovingly referred to as "Mayor" of Albany (and Aruba, his 'second home') due to his popularity, Warren never met a stranger that he could not turn into a friend. He made friends wherever he went.

Warren's first job was as a batboy at the Arbor Hill baseball field. He also worked at the Liberty Partnership program. He was a sales representative for American Chemical, a janitorial supply company, InfoTech – an I/T Company. These professional experiences led him to Combined Insurance Company of America, where his sales skills, management skills, and leadership attributes were visible to everyone in the organization. The top sales award offered to a Combined salesperson is a WCS Grand Diamond, achieved by approximately 1 % of Combined's entire sales force. Warren earned the WCS Grand Diamond Award an unimaginable 101 times!  Warren went on to become an award-winning manager in Combined's New York operation. His outstanding managerial achievements culminated in delivering the criteria for and being nominated by the company for the Annual Award of Sales Manager of the Year Worldwide in 2008. His character, professionalism, and never-ending willingness to help others were always on full display in Warren's exceptional career with Combined Insurance Company. Even though his work, Warren believed he was giving back to his community. He was known as the community's "insurance man" and responsible for enabling many people in prisons and underserved communities, who were often not approached as a consumer, to purchase supplemental health insurance. He took pride in his customer service, whereby he would instruct his clients to call his cell phone, 518-365-6768, rather than the company's 800 # so he could help thousands of clients submit their claims accurately.

Warren's hobbies included golf, bowling, fishing, playing cards (especially Bid Whist and Spanish 21). He was an avid Pittsburg Steelers fan, loved entertaining people, and would invite family and friends for card games and cookouts. He would organize Cape Cod or New Bedford fishing trips with both Metropolitan and Macedonia Churches. He was actively involved with Schenectady Community Fathers, a support group for men in the community.

Warren loved life and laughter. No matter where he was, he would tell jokes and laugh loud. His family would travel extensively through Marriott Vacation Clubs, where he met Chris Roberts and Makeba Payton. They became very close friends traveling yearly together for ten years of shared April birthday celebrations, Fourth of July, and Makayla's August birthday. No matter where they traveled, evenings out often involved Warren joining in with a local live band where he especially enjoyed singing Frank Sinatra's music. He would captivate any crowd with his tenor melodies.

In 2003, Warren married the love of his life, the former Denyse Michelle Cromwell. To this union, two beautifully talented daughters were born, Madison Adrienne Mackey and Makayla Grace Mackey. Warren glowed when he spoke of his daughters and was incredibly proud of their many accomplishments. Warren loved his siblings and enjoyed spending as much time as possible with them. When his mother was alive, he would call her every day, multiple times to talk – about anything but often sports.

We will miss Warren's loving spirit, charm, jokes, and that uniquely contagious laughter. We will miss his presence, impact, and voice in the community, especially the community of faith.

Warren is survived by his wife of 17 years, Denyse (Cromwell) Mackey, and their daughters Madison A. Mackey (16) and Makayla G. Mackey (15), who both attend the Academy of the Holy Names, his brothers; Wayne B Mackey (Denise Mackey, Rockhill, SC), Eric Mackey (Greenwood, SC ), Elston Mackey (Albany, NY), Kenneth L Mackey (Albany, NY), Zackary C. Mackey (Massachusetts) his sister Ann (Mackey) Corbett (Willie James Corbett, Bethune SC) stepbrother Robert Harrison (Florida), adopted brother, Tommy Stanford (Greenwood, SC),  "Uncle Bennie" (Ethel) Mackey (Albany, NY), Uncle Willie McCoy (Bethune, SC), Uncle George E. McCoy (Hampton, VA), Aunt Marie Francis Brice (Colonie, NY), Aunt Bessie Gross (Hampton, VA), Aunt Betty McCoy (Fayetteville, NC), Aunt Pearl Price (Harvey Price, Albany, NY), brother in law Matthew (Lucy) Wynne, Jay Wynne (London England), father in law, William V. Cromwell (Mashpee, Mass) and a host of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins and friends including his best friends Dennis Lee Edney and Tony Eaddy (Albany NY).

Warren is predeceased by his mother, Jannette (McCoy) Mackey - Hackett (Greenwood SC), father Reverend Zeddie Mackey (Greenwood, South Carolina), adopted son, Fuquan Ford (Albany NY), and stepbrother Rodriquez Eric Mackey (Columbia SC)

Visitation hours will be held Friday, February 12, 2021, from 11 AM to 6 PM at Metropolitan New Testament Mission Baptist Church located at 105 Second Street Albany, NY. The family respectfully requests pre-registration at www.metrobaptistalbany.com or call 518-465-9375.  Warren's siblings will be in attendance the entire day, and Warren's wife & children will be in attendance from 3-6 PM.

A private viewing will occur at 10 AM. The funeral service will be by family invitation to comply with CDC requirements at Metropolitan New Testament Mission Baptist Church on Saturday, February 13, 2021, at 11 AM. Everyone is encouraged to share in Warren's homegoing service that will be live-streamed at www.metrobaptistalbany.com.

A full graveside service for the public and extended family will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery and Memorial Park located at 983 Watervliet Shaker Rd, Albany, NY. Attendees should arrive by no later than 115 PM and wait in their cars for the family arrival & service to begin at 130PM. Please be comfortable dressing for warmth. Masks and social distancing are required.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either Academy of the Holy Names (501C3) at 1075 New Scotland Road, Albany, NY 12208, Attn: Nora Ritinski or for community outreach, The Warren & Denyse Mackey Foundation at any Key Bank Branch.