Stephanie’s Legacy: Celebrating Adult Learning
Stephanie grew up facing many challenges, including limited access to education. For much of her early adulthood she couldn’t read or write, yet she achieved so much through sheer determination. In her 50s, she returned to education to learn basic literacy, an experience that sparked a lifelong love of learning and writing.
She went on to win literacy awards, had poems and short stories published, and continued studying everything she could, from computing to pattern writing, only stopping when she lost her eyesight and her health deteriorated.
Stephanie passed away on 30 January 2026, aged 78.
Her children wanted her name to keep being spoken. They want it to stay connected to the positivity, empowerment, and pride she felt when she received her first literacy prize.
In her memory, we created the Stephanie Cokeley Memorial Prize: honoring both adult learners and the educational organisations that support them.
Explore Literacy Competitions
Donate to the Stephanie Cokeley Prize
All free to enter Competitions:
General Entry (21+)
Creative Expression
Returning to Learning (40+)
Empower Voices
Explore Literacy Competitions
Learning despite adversity
Support Learning
In Memory of Stephanie
Stephanie’s life began in the margins,
where books stayed shut and girls learned sacrifice before dreams.
Hardship shaped her early years, yet she met the world with laughter,
with fire,
with a courage stitched from all she survived.
She hid her unread pages behind, clever smiles;
a missing pair of glasses,
a joke to ease the moment,
Deflection, avoidance.
No one else knew what she couldn't do.
She stepped into a classroom long after all her peers.
With fear, and shame and excitement in equal measure.
New pages opened,
poems grew
And a love of learning was uncovered.
Her body tired before her spirit ever did, and she left the world at 78, dreams still tucked gently at her side.
But she also left a truth that shines:
that courage can bloom late,
that learning never stops,
that a life shaped by adversity can still rise into its own bright rhythm.
Stephanie, our mum, was just a regular person. To others she might not have been anything special, just someone they may have crossed paths with. She didn't change the world but she had aspirations she had waiting a life time to embark on.
She returned to learning in her 50s after years of navigating literacy challenges. We can not imagine how difficult that must have been and how proud she must have felt when she won an award for writing. Sadly her health was poor and she was never able to pursue the life she dreamt of but she inspired us.
She represents so many other 'ordinary people'.
As a legacy to Stephanie, her children want her name to mean something positive for others in the same position she was once in: Those going back to study adult literacy.
If you would like to donate to give someone the chance of winning an award then please click the link on this page or if you would like to enter one of the literary prizes please see below for more details
Updates from the Stephanie Cokeley Team
Winners Entries
All Entries from the winners of the Stephanie Cokeley literacy prizes