1916
Leatha
2011
Leatha M. Cook
November 16, 1916 — March 21, 2011
Leatha M. Cook, 94, of Wolbach died March 21, 2011 at Heritage Living Center in St. Paul.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach. The Reverend Joseph Javorsky will officiate. Interment will be held at Hillside Cemetery in Wolbach. Visitation will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 Thursday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.
Leatha was born November 16, 1916 at Wolbach, Nebraska to Joe & Lena (Brandt) Steenson.
She lived with her family on a farm east of town. She attended school in Wolbach and graduated from Wolbach High School as Valedictorian of her class in May 1933 at the age of 16.
The following September, Leatha began teaching at rural District #44 in Howard County and taught there for three years. After teaching she worked at the Wolbach Bakery and Café©.
Leatha was united in marriage to Homer Cook on April 19, 1937 at York, Nebraska.
Their 69 years of married life was lived on a farm in Nance County, ten miles east of Wolbach, across the road from Homer's home place. Six of those years (1941-1947) they lived on what is now the Ernest Bane farm.
Leatha worked along side her husband on the farm; milking cows, cultivating corn, helping stack hay and picking corn by hand.
She and Homer always found time to fish in the Cedar River and in their later years they fished in Nebraska and Canadian lakes.
Homer passed away January 2007 and Leatha continued living on the farm until September 2010, when she entered Heritage Living Center in St. Paul after suffering a broken hip.
Leatha enjoyed sewing and crocheting quilts. She also liked playing cards, dancing, fishing and traveling.
She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach, and a sewing group called "The Holy Tearers". She also played cards with a neighborhood card club and was a past member of the Busy Bees Extension Club.
Leatha was a special lady. She enjoyed her family and friends.
Those who cherish her memory are a daughter, Marianne Peetz of North Loup; a son, Jerry Cook and his wife Shirley of Wolbach; granddaughter, Annette Malmstrom of Scotia; grandsons, James & his wife Lorraine Cook of Fullerton, Joe & his wife Cathy of Belgrade and Donald & his wife Jodie of North Loup; great grandchildren, Nathan Malmstrom and his wife Christy of Elba, Brian Malmstrom and his wife Tara of Ravenna, Jenae Malmstrom of Scotia, Daniel Cook and his wife Brianna, Nickolas Cook and his wife Becky and Jared Cook all of Fullerton, Sydney & Brady Cook of Belgrade, and Kyler & Reilly Peetz of North Loup; great great grandchildren, Ryan and Taylor Cook of Fullerton, Owen Malmstrom of Elba; a sister-in-law, June Steenson of Wolbach and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, step mother Lela Steenson, her husband Homer, brothers and sister-in-law, Lawrence "Bub" Steenson, Delmar & Reva Steenson, a son-in-law, Kenneth Peetz, a grandson, David Peetz, one nephew, Teddy Steenson and a niece, Judy Steenson.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach. The Reverend Joseph Javorsky will officiate. Interment will be held at Hillside Cemetery in Wolbach. Visitation will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 Thursday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.
Leatha was born November 16, 1916 at Wolbach, Nebraska to Joe & Lena (Brandt) Steenson.
She lived with her family on a farm east of town. She attended school in Wolbach and graduated from Wolbach High School as Valedictorian of her class in May 1933 at the age of 16.
The following September, Leatha began teaching at rural District #44 in Howard County and taught there for three years. After teaching she worked at the Wolbach Bakery and Café©.
Leatha was united in marriage to Homer Cook on April 19, 1937 at York, Nebraska.
Their 69 years of married life was lived on a farm in Nance County, ten miles east of Wolbach, across the road from Homer's home place. Six of those years (1941-1947) they lived on what is now the Ernest Bane farm.
Leatha worked along side her husband on the farm; milking cows, cultivating corn, helping stack hay and picking corn by hand.
She and Homer always found time to fish in the Cedar River and in their later years they fished in Nebraska and Canadian lakes.
Homer passed away January 2007 and Leatha continued living on the farm until September 2010, when she entered Heritage Living Center in St. Paul after suffering a broken hip.
Leatha enjoyed sewing and crocheting quilts. She also liked playing cards, dancing, fishing and traveling.
She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach, and a sewing group called "The Holy Tearers". She also played cards with a neighborhood card club and was a past member of the Busy Bees Extension Club.
Leatha was a special lady. She enjoyed her family and friends.
Those who cherish her memory are a daughter, Marianne Peetz of North Loup; a son, Jerry Cook and his wife Shirley of Wolbach; granddaughter, Annette Malmstrom of Scotia; grandsons, James & his wife Lorraine Cook of Fullerton, Joe & his wife Cathy of Belgrade and Donald & his wife Jodie of North Loup; great grandchildren, Nathan Malmstrom and his wife Christy of Elba, Brian Malmstrom and his wife Tara of Ravenna, Jenae Malmstrom of Scotia, Daniel Cook and his wife Brianna, Nickolas Cook and his wife Becky and Jared Cook all of Fullerton, Sydney & Brady Cook of Belgrade, and Kyler & Reilly Peetz of North Loup; great great grandchildren, Ryan and Taylor Cook of Fullerton, Owen Malmstrom of Elba; a sister-in-law, June Steenson of Wolbach and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, step mother Lela Steenson, her husband Homer, brothers and sister-in-law, Lawrence "Bub" Steenson, Delmar & Reva Steenson, a son-in-law, Kenneth Peetz, a grandson, David Peetz, one nephew, Teddy Steenson and a niece, Judy Steenson.
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