Cook, Marian Elizabeth (Dunning) 1923 - 2016

COOK, DUNNING, SMITH, OLSON, MELAAS, LINDERBAUM, OLSON, MCCOMBIE, SHANER, JORDAN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 2/12/2016 at 11:21:18

Marian E. Cook, age 92, of Decorah, IA, died Saturday, February 6, 2016 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah.

Memorial Services will be held at a later date.

Marian is survived by her husband LaVerne; her five children: Mary (Eric) Olson of Sioux Falls, SD, Don (Jeanne) Cook of Bettendorf, IA, Jaleen (Larry) Melaas of Savanna, IL, Robert (Martha) Cook of West Des Moines, IA and Paul (Patricia) Cook of Columbia, PA; 13 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Evelyn (Lawrence) Linderbaum of Guttenberg IA.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

A more complete obituary was added later as follows:

Marian E. Cook, age 92, of Decorah, IA, died Saturday, February 6, 2016 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, with Rev. John Caldwell officiating.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, one hour before the service, at Fjelstul Funeral Home.

Marian Elizabeth (Dunning) Cook was born in Luana, Iowa on May 26, 1923, the daughter of Roy and Abigail (Smith) Dunning. She graduated from Luana High School with the class of 1941.

She lived her entire life in Decorah and the surrounding area. Marian was a school teacher in the early 1940’s. She met her husband to be, LaVerne E. Cook, before he enlisted in the Army during WWII and continued to write to him during his deployment. A year after LaVerne returned from the war, they were united in marriage on April 29, 1947 at the Cresco United Methodist Church in Cresco, Iowa. They were blessed with five children: Mary, Donald, Jaleen, Robert and Paul.

Marian and LaVerne operated Cook’s Television and Radio Repair for many years in Decorah. Marian was a wonderful cook and loved to bake. She grew her own vegetables and made the best pickles. She always had an apron on and was busy in the kitchen. She also loved flowers and working on puzzles. She had many different kinds of rose plants and many other flowers and plants in her yard. Until recently, Marian and LaVerne could be seen during their daily walks in Decorah for over 25+ years.

Happy family times included trips camping and fishing with family and relatives. She was an avid card player and was always ready to sit down at the table and play cards. There was always laughter and fun times during these card games around the dining room table.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother; her brother, Leslie Dunning; her father-in-law Perlie Cook and mother-in-law Lydia Cook.

Marian is survived by her husband LaVerne; her five children: Mary (Eric) Olson of Sioux Falls, SD, Don (Jeanne) Cook of Bettendorf, IA, Jaleen (Larry) Melaas of Savanna, IL, Robert (Martha) Cook of West Des Moines, IA and Paul (Patricia) Cook of Columbia, PA; 13 grandchildren: Lynne Olson, Elizabeth Olson; Amanda Cook, Brad (Kristyn) Cook, Chris (Christine) Cook, Lara McCombie, Kyle Melaas, Jason (Tammy) Shaner, James (Jillian) Cook, Matthew Cook, Christopher Cook, Benjamin Cook and Alex Cook; 6 great-grandchildren: Davis Cook, Alexis and Karley McCombie, Deriane, Jordan and Brendan Shaner; and her sister, Evelyn (Lawrence) Linderbaum of Guttenberg, IA.

Memorials may be directed to WMC Hospice, 901 Montgomery Street, Decorah, IA 52101