Elaine (Hartley) Cook, age 88, was promoted to be in the presence of her Lord on July 30, 2020.
Elaine was the beloved wife for 69 years to James Cook, of Washington South Road, Mansfield, Ohio. She was also mother to 5 children, grandmother to 12, and great grandmother to many.
Elaine was born March 12, 1932 in Mansfield, Ohio and graduated from Mansfield High School in 1950. She married her high school sweetheart a year later and established their home and family together in Mansfield. After raising her children, Elaine returned to her formal education, obtaining both a Bachelors and Masters degree in education to become a kindergarten teacher in Lexington, Ohio at Western Elementary for 20 years.
She was active socially in the Monnet Club, American Association of University Women (AAUW), as well as her local church, Clear Fork Alliance Church, throughout her life. Elaine volunteered extensively with Mansfield General Hospital (now Ohio Health), making clothes for dolls (to gift to needy children), as well as volunteering during the winter months in Fort Myers, Florida at the Barbara Mann Performing Arts Hall and the Gulf Coast Hospital.
Elaine, to all who knew her, was a kind and selfless soul who cared deeply about the happiness and well-being of others. Always the optimist, she unfailingly had a smile and a sympathetic ear for all – and often a thoughtful, positive suggestion, softly spoken, to help make whatever it was a little better, or at least make you feel better about it. Elaine lived her faith daily exuding a deep, selfless love first and foremost for her extended family but also for all those around her. Until very recently, you could find her cheerfully assisting hospital visitors and theater patrons or perhaps driving (a task she really didn’t like to do) aging, housebound friends on all day shopping trips. Elaine had a unique way of finding the goodness in others, and in doing so made the world a kinder, gentler place for so many. She will long be remembered as one who figured out how to do life the right way.
She is survived by her husband, James and 4 of her children, Don (Gayle), Brad (Teresa), Kate (Gordy), (all of whom live in the Mansfield area) and Matt (Cindy) (Boone, NC). She was preceded in death by one son, Phil.
A memorial celebration will be held Thursday, August 13, 2020 from 5pm to 6pm at Clear Fork Alliance Church, 1008 State Route 97, Bellville, Ohio, 44813. The family will receive guests starting at 4:30pm.
A live broadcast of the memorial will be available on www.Zoom.com – meeting ID: 96791354455
Contributions in her memory may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child. www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/ways-to-give/ or P.O.Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
