Margaret Isabelle (McCausland) Cooke (1875-1959)

BALDNER, COOKE, HUMPHREYS, MCCAUSLAND, ODONNELL

Posted By: Eileen Reed (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:47

May 10, 1875 --- December 12, 1959

Mrs., Margaret Cooke Funeral Wednesday

Last-rites for Mrs. Margaret Cooke, 84, were held Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in charge of Rev. Maurice Mullan.

Mrs. Cooke died Saturday morning in Mercy Hospital, Mason City where she had been a patient since Nov. 24th, following major surgery. She had apparently recovered from the operation when she became suddenly ill Saturday morning and died shortly thereafter.

She is survived by one adopted son, Sgt. Richard Baldner of St. Marie, Mich.; one niece, Mrs. Ralph Humphreys of Hampton, two nephews, Dr. Earl McCausland of Brewster, Minn., and Don McCausland of Sonora, Calif.

Mrs. Cooke had been an invalid for almost seven years, following a broken hip and since that time had been cared for in nursing homes.

During the last few weeks, she had been in the Rockwell Nursing Home at Rockwell, Iowa.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew McCausland, Margaret Isabelle McCausland was born May 10, 1875 in West Point, Ill.

She was united in marriage to Harry A. Cooke of Brooklyn, N.Y. in Eagle Grove on June 24th, 1897, and they made their home here thereafter with the exception of few years when they lived in Sonora, Calif., where Mr. Cook [Cooke] died and is buried.

For many years Mr. and Mrs. Cooke operated the Hotel Grove and Mr. Cooke was postmaster in Eagle Grove for a number of years.

Mr. and Mrs. Cooke had no children of their own, and in April of 1903 they adopted a baby girl, Margaret O'Donnell, whose parents were close friends of the Cook’s [Cooke’s]. Margaret was married to Ray Baldner and she died a year after their marriage, and Mr. and Mrs. Cooke then adopted her infant son of three weeks, Richard Cooke Baldner who survives her.

Mrs. Cooke and Dick returned to Eagle Grove after Mr. Cooke’s death and Mrs. Cooke served as matron at the Iowa State Capital Building during several democratic administrations. Since that time she had resided here, and been in ill health for many years.

Interment was in Calvary Cemetery beside her daughter and casket bearers were James Humphreys, Richard Humphreys, Donald Klier, Richard Husz, Howard McCausland, (nephews) and Gerald O'Toole.

Eagle Grove Eagle --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
December 17, 1959