Marcia Lynn Winston

Marcia Lynn Winston

October 10, 1962 - January 11, 2025

On October 10, 1962, Marcia Lynn Winston affectionately known as Cookie was born to Donald and Betty Hornsby in Compton, California. She departed this temporal life in preference to life eternal on January 11, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Marcia was educated and graduated from Perry High School in 1980. She attended both Duquesne University and Clark Atlanta University where she took business and math courses. She was employed at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA, working in The Center for Theoretical Studies of Physical Systems. While working with physicists and young students, you could see her mind turning. She went on to work for the Allegheny YMCA and eventually the Pittsburgh Housing Authority, working her way up to Site Manager. She would later go on to complete Culinary Arts Training in 2019 as part of the Bidwell Training Centers Culinary Arts Program.

With many dreams and aspirations, Marcia had her sights set on working in a bakery where she could create treats of all sorts. She was best known for her chocolate chip cookies, brownies, sweet potato souffle, chocolate cream pie and banana pudding.

Marcia tried many exciting activities and hobbies; always setting and achieving new goals. She loved music- practiced playing the keyboard, sang, and even spent time drawing and painting portraits of her loved ones. For a short time, she started a pool garden. Marcia wrote short stories of all kinds, officially becoming an author after publishing a short collection of her childhood memories called, “Memories from my Childhood Ages 2-10.” She dabbled in making bath products and lip glosses.  In 2021, she started a podcast on her dreams and their meanings. She loved numbers and would always find ways to calculate her daily tasks. At different phases of life she tried out many different physical activities including racquetball, roller-blading, and weight lifting.

In April of 1984, she was united in Holy Wedlock to Mark Winston in Columbus, Georgia. From this union, three children were born. She supported, encouraged and loved them all deeply. Together Marcia and Mark went on to live in Maryland and Georgia before finally returning to Pennsylvania.

Marcia had such a beautiful, creative mind and an even more beautiful heart. In an email she sent to a ministry, she said about her pool garden, “I want to feed the world,” and with that notion in mind, she also set her sights on “end of the world prepping” and would often watch Youtube videos about that preparation and world events. “What is in your bug-out bag?” she would ask.  Always praying and believing for the best, she regularly studied and wrote out the scriptures, pondering on the mysteries of God. That was one of her favorite past times and also what made her long to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

One of the ultimate joys of her life was being a grandmother and spending time with her four grandsons and two granddaughters. She loved baking with them and making special memories. Whether it was a trip to dig up gems, going to the mall for boba tea or playing on the beach, she felt blessed to watch them grow. Known for her two long plaits and eclectic hats, Marcia also enjoyed dinners with her sisters and brother. She certainly loved her down time and catching a mid-day nap.

Marcia came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as a young child when she prayed to God and said she wanted to be with Him. As she wrote in her memoir, He had been with her ever since. She affirmed her faith and commitment to spiritual growth as a dedicated member of World Changers Church in Atlanta, where she sang in the choir and later, Allegheny Center Alliance Church of Pittsburgh.

Marcia was a shoe lover and LOVED peanut butter most of all…. No wait, maybe her coffee! LOL!

She was all things sparkly and glittery. Marcia was a witty, wise, no-nonsense, “get to the point” type of person. Serious, yet sentimental, stern and soft. She was fun-loving, open to the possibilities that were ahead, ever generous, and full of love. Cookie was truly sweet as a cookie and will be dearly missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Donald Hornsby Sr. and Betty Lou Tarpley Hornsby, her brother, Donald Hornsby Jr., nephew, Lazaro Columbie, and son-in-law, Jarritt Ahmed Sheel. She leaves to mourn her memory, daughters, Antonia Sheel, Amirah Bella Winston, a son, Adam Winston, daughter-in-law, Brittany Wilburn, grandchildren Lillie, Brett, Colton, Judah, Aden, and Sarah; sisters, Frances Fisher of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Janine Herrera and Sandra Hornsby of Atlanta, Georgia, Rebecca Hornsby and Kimberly Hornsby of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; brothers, Richard Hornsby, Sr. and Christopher Hornsby of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; nieces, nephews, a host of cousins and extended family.