Marilyn J. Cook

From her birth, June 1, 1935, and early years in Wendell, Idaho, through her graduation from Brewster (Washington) High School in 1953, Marilyn Lowry exhibited a joy in life and a servant’s heart. Marilyn joined in every available activity: Sunday School classes and school programs as a child, and later, choir, drama, girls club, pep club, student government, majorette team and multiple intramural sports, along with church youth group. She said the school was small so everyone had to do everything for teams or groups to work. Plus - there was nothing else to do in those small towns. Marilyn started dating her future husband and love of her life, Bob Cook during 10th grade. They married January 23, 1954. She adored the three children who followed over the next five years and encouraged their spiritual and social development, guiding them toward responsible, generous adulthood as they created their own loving families. Serving her Lord was always her priority and included singing in and leading church choirs and, after Bob’s retirement, years of ministry through SOWERS and MAPS at churches and Bible camps throughout the west, building and refurbishing facilities and supporting their staffs. Later, she volunteered at Union Gospel Mission sorting donations. Marilyn wrote poetry, loved puzzles, read voraciously, cooked and baked with flair, shared with those less fortunate, crocheted baby blankets and potholders for family and friends and knit the multiple generations of her family together with notes, letters and ultimately text messages. Her sense of humor entertained at family gatherings and had even hospice nurses laughing at her take on life. She passed away November 26, 2025. Marilyn is survived by her husband of nearly 72 years, Bob Cook, a brother, Steve Lowry (Merrily), her children Laura Cowart (Stanley), Dave Cook (Nancy) and Kerri Surface (Steve), along with 12 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alvin and Bernice (Cornelison) Lowry, brother Phil and sister-in-law Ann Lowry, sister Leah Bennett and brother-in-law Jim Bennett. A memorial will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Union Gospel Mission in Marilyn Cook’s name.