August 21, 1940-November 12, 2021
Sharon Cook passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side, after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. Sharon was born to parents Murray and Hattie Hill in Fairfield, Illinois, where she was raised with her younger sister, Rita (Hill) Roser. Although she left Fairfield as an adult, Sharon returned home regularly for visits and class reunions, and she maintained close relationships with many of her childhood friends over the years. After earning her teaching degree at Eastern Illinois University, Sharon taught school at Wheeling Elementary in the Chicago area for two years. Then, her desire to see the world led her to teaching in the Department of Defense School System in Germany, where she caught the eye of a young Army Lieutenant, Jeff Cook, who would become her husband and travel partner for the next fifty five years. They returned to the US to get married in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1966, welcoming their daughter, Jennifer, the following year, and then younger daughter, Kathryn, joined the family a few years later.
Sharon was a true “Army Wife,” making a new home for the family in the different places Jeff was stationed, including Kentucky, Germany, Illinois, Virginia, Washington State, and Texas. When she wasn’t busy sewing outfits for the girls and their dolls, she could be found volunteering her time in the various communities they lived and substitute teaching at local schools. She eventually returned to full-time teaching, with classrooms in Darmstadt, Germany; San Antonio, Texas; and Vancouver, Washington. Sharon and Jeff first “retired” in Vancouver, where they enjoyed meeting new people through their hiking club and other social groups. Their “real” retirement came when they moved to Trilogy in Gilbert, Arizona, where they again found wonderful new friends through hiking groups, cooking clubs, church groups, and more.
Her grandson Myles was her pride and joy, and she loved spending time with him, from playing imaginary games when he was a toddler to watching him compete in sports as he grew older. Two of her lifelong passions were travelling and entertaining. From family ski trips to European cruises, Sharon would meticulously plan and orchestrate vacations to favorite places including Italy and Germany. When at home, she enjoyed having friends and family over for lavish meals and lively conversation. She particularly appreciated all of the support from her Trilogy friends during the past couple of years.
The family would like to pay special tribute to the staff at the Mayo Clinic, where she had been receiving treatment since March 2020, as well as the wonderful people at Hospice of the Valley and the Visiting Angels who helped care for Sharon in her final weeks. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Hospice of the Valley. A Celebration of Life for Sharon will take place at San Tan Mountain View Funeral Home in Queen Creek, Arizona, at 2:00 PM on January 22, 2022, followed by a private internment at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 24, 2022.
