On March 7, 2020, our loving wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister, aunt, and friend, MaryAnn Cooke passed at the age of 81 from a long-term illness of Dementia with Louie bodies and complications of pneumonia. She was surrounded by her loving family at her home.
She was born February 21, 1939, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the oldest daughter of Carus and Mary Lortz (Bradshaw). They resided in the Salt Lake area before moving to southern Utah as well as Nevada. After graduating high school, MaryAnn went on to Dixie College where she met her lifelong soulmate and companion Carlon Cooke. They were involved in many school activities together and enjoyed the small-town atmosphere. On June 11, 1959, MaryAnn and Carlon "CJ" Cooke married in the Salt Lake Temple. They had two children who were their pride and joy, Casey and Chelsea.
She was a wonderful person and will be sorely missed by all those she left behind. Her greatest legacy was her giving nature. She was always the first to offer assistance to someone in need. She was a proud, independent, willful person who loved life and doing for others.
She had a successful preschool, which she enjoyed. She was also dedicated to her accounting career. Her biggest accomplishment in life was managing the home and raising children.
She was an active member of the LDS Church. She served as Relief Society President, Primary President, Gospel Doctrine Teacher and many other callings. She was talented musically and played the piano at home and church, as well as composing some of her own pieces.
Her greatest love was her family. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was the matriarch of the family and was called upon for counsel and support.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law. She is survived by many who love her including her one sibling, Larry. She is survived by her husband, Carlon "CJ" Cooke; two children and their spouses: Casey and Heather Cooke and Chelsea and Jeff Goble. She had 9 grand-children and 4 great-grandchildren. She loved family visits and getting together for holidays.
We would like to thank Glady Etinne who was her in-home caretaker as well as family, friends, U of U Medical Center and Hospice for their compassion and love during her illness.
Graveside services will be on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road, Sandy, Utah. A celebration of live service will be held later due to the current health concerns.
Eulogy...
\"Our Birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The soul that rises with us, our life\s star...
Hath had else where it\s setting an cometh from afar;
Not in entire forgetfulness and not in utter nakedness,
but trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home.\"
\"The monument you to make of your life with the help of your problems will be a symbol of your love for me, Your Father\".
I stand before you today, to honor a very special lady, who not only came into this world trailing clouds of glory, but who, during her brief time on this earth made a monument of her life that will stand for eternity as a symbol of her love, not only for the Lord, but for each of us whose lives she touched. Raising two exceptional children and one challenging husband. MaryAnn set a high standard an example for us all to aspire to. I never heard her raise her voice in anger. But if she called you by your full name you better listen. In every way, she was a true disciple of Christ. And for me best described in Josh Groban\s song, "The Wind Beneath My Wings.\"
Early in our marriage she and a friend ran a preschool and she marveled at how much the students taught her. An accomplished pianist she wrote a very special song,
(that song was sung in St George stake conference by Dixie College head of the music department). She was a Relief Society president and taught Gospel Doctrine classes. But what she truly loved was teaching Junior Sunday School. explaining that they had been recently in the presence of their Heavenly Father and were so pure and innocent. MaryAnn loved animals; her favorite was a Golden Retriever named Cider. They spent many hours romping through the Sandy and Draper fields which often became more than a romp when they scared up a rabbit.
She was an excellent cook and had a number of recipes in the ward stake and daily newspapers. The family benefited greatly from her many skills and love of us all.
MaryAnn was a perfect mother and wife for us. We were greatly blessed with her presence in our lives and we look forward to being there again. With MaryAnn\s passing, this world of ours somehow seems emptier-- the light a little dimmer. It will be hard for those of us left behind. It is my hope and prayer that in the coming months and years, that we may draw from our memories of this beautiful lady... that our lights may shine... that our lives may be a symbol of our love for Him and each other.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen
