Mrs. E. A. Cook

COOK-DEGROOTE

Posted By: Jon L. Cook (email)
Date: 3/7/2015 at 09:25:42

The Passing of Mrs. E. A. Cook
Hattie DeGroote Cook, wife of E. A. Cook, of Rutland, died at her home, May 9, 1916, at the age of 57 years. Mrs. Cook was born near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1859, and came to Humboldt county with her parents the late Daniel DeGroote and wife in 1865, where she resided till her death. She was married to Mr. Cook in 1877, and since 1878, they have resided continuously on the home-farm of today. Eleven children were born to them, all of whom are still living except Harry L. who was killed in Des Moines in 1910. Seven of the children are married, and have added to the family 21 grandchildren, all of whom reside in the state of Iowa, and most of them in Humboldt county.
Mrs. Cook had been paralyzed one side for over two years and was helpless for most of the time, though she did not suffer much pain. For the last four months her mind seemed to take on the weakness of her body, and the first of May, the other side became paralyzed and she lingered on till May, when she passed quietly and peacefully away, in a tranqiil slumber that had lasted for nine days.
Mrs. Cook came to Iowa in the last year of the civil war when she was only six years of age. Her father had just returned from the army. Thus the range of her experience was broad, extending from the crude life and severe privations of the pioneer all the way up through the rising grades to the present rapid life of wealth, luxury and the large opportunity. All the pains, all the pleasures, all the struggles and failures and conquests of those strangely changing years were hers to know. They were her university, in which she learned to know all conditions of life. Thus her sympathies reached every class; for out of her own varied experience she touched hands with everybody.

Mrs. Cook made no pretense to any superiority either in morals or religion. But she did the duties of every day in the spirit of absolute faithfulness and love. And though she put a modest estimate upon her place in life, we who knew her, we saw her life as a wife and homemaker, we who saw her labor of love and great success in the rearing and discipline of her eleven children, and the continued and tender care that reached down to the many grand-children, we know that her life was great success and high above that of the egotistical and selfish who parade their vanities that they may be seen of men. Her life was very useful and satisfactory. The more she gave for those she loved the more was her reward. The holiest mission in life-motherhood-was abundantly hers. With each new life-child or grandchild-her life almost doubled: and when with the seven who came into the family by marriage, the family group numbered 41 who can measure the joy and satisfaction of such a life? Surely, her place in lfie was exalted and holy, though she claimed so little.
Mrs. Cook was buried in Union Cemetary. The funeral was held May 11 at the family home. Rev G. H. Zastrow of the Humboldt Unitarian church, gave the memorial. A large number of appreciative friends was in attendance.

A. D. Bicknell