Obituary - Jacquelyn "Jackie" B. Cook

Grandma Jackie, as many around town would call her, was born May 29, 1934 in Germantown, MO to Edward J. Schussler and Eva Otillia (Cook) Schussler. Jackie was raised on the family farm where her love of animals was born and carried throughout her life, especially her love for her cat Boo. She was married to Norman J. Cook on June 4, 1956. They started their married life in Clinton, MO and then moved to Montrose, MO in 1960.

Jackie was a homemaker, a mother to eight children, and a very talented seamstress. Jackie did everything from basic alterations to custom wedding gown creations. She spent endless hours at her sewing machine stitching away, with her work guided by her favorite saying “A Family Stitched in Love Seldom Unravels”. Jackie’s fees were always surprisingly low, not because she didn’t know her work’s worth, but because she would rather help someone than take their money. While that may not be the best business practice, it sure was the best life practice.

Jackie also volunteered her time at bake sales, decorating the church, quilting, and serving as a member of the Altar Sodality. Jackie also worked part time cleaning St. Mary’s School and the Montrose Savings Bank. She was a loving babysitter to her grandchildren. And as they grew, she attended all their sporting events where she was their biggest cheerleader. She also made every holiday a special event for her family, where the walls of her home were filled with love, laughter, and memories to cherish forever. Jackie was a creative, fashionable, and gifted person whose endless energy and strong work ethic was often fueled by multiple pots of black coffee.

She was preceded in death by her husband Norman, her son Vernon Cook, her parents, her siblings Rosalie Sickman (Dennis), Reginald Schussler (Edna), Gregory Schussler (Arlene), her mother and father-in-law (Doris and Sam Cook), her sisters-in-law Velda Hanna (Joe), and Dorothy Jean Sutherland (Gene), and brothers-in-law Edward Cook and Roger Calvert.

Jackie is survived by her children Vicki Strope (Doug) of Deepwater, MO, Cheryl Parks (Kyle) of Cowgill, MO, Janet Bracher (Russell), Carla Eye (Kim), and Carolyn Hart (Kent), all of Montrose, MO, Jamie Cook (Sheri) of Eagle Rock, MO, and Colleen LeDoux (B.C.) of Las Vegas, NV. She is also survived by sisters-in-law JoAnne Cook, Joyce Calvert, and Lola Putthoff (Bill), brother-in-law Gerald Cook (Ruby), and cousin Berniece Oswald. Jackie is survived by 16 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren.

Jackie served her church, her community, her family, great food (with just a pinch of sugar), and above all, God.