Joan Millicent Cook (nee Ashcroft), a devoted homemaker who dedicated her life to her family, died Thursday at her home. She was 98.
Born in Brooklyn, on Dec. 24, 1926, Mrs. Cook was the second youngest of 11 children. She remained close to her sisters throughout her life, often recalling the fond memories of her happy childhood.
Those early experiences shaped her approach to family life, as she worked tirelessly to create a warm, cheerful home for her children and grandchildren.
Mrs. Cook took great pride in the cleanliness of her home and had a passion for decorating in a country style. Her collections of dolls, chickens, knickknacks and treasured gifts were carefully arranged on shelves, with not a speck of dust to be found.
She would often say with a smile, “I was up doing my housework at 5:30 this morning!” Her remarkable energy earned her the affectionate nickname of “The Energizer bunny.”
“My mom was eternally youthful and had an ageless beauty,” said her daughter, Dawn Daniels. “No matter how she felt, she never gave in. She was strong and had a beautiful spark in her eyes. It is hard to imagine life going on without her.”
Mrs. Cook worked in the payroll offices of Woolworth’s and Abraham and Straus in the 1940s before marrying the love of her life, Roy Lee Douglas Cook, in 1950. They were married for 65 years before he preceded her in death in 2015.
Together, they were longtime members of the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in West Brighton, where they were active for more than 30 years.
Her grandson, Shane DiMaio, fondly remembered her home: “Going to grandma’s house was like going to your happy place. When you walked into her front door, you forgot all of the day-to-day stresses, and you were instantly comforted by her loving presence.”
Mrs. Cook is survived by two sons, Roy Lee Douglas Cook Jr. and David Cook; two daughters, Denise DiMaio and Dawn Daniels; nine grandchildren, Jill Levenberg, Jamie Mantagas, Erin Cook, Kristin Cook, Ian Cook, Shane DiMaio, Daniel Rourke, Lola Cook and Brendan Daniels; six great-grandchildren, Rachel Levenberg, Grayson Mantagas, Weston Mantagas, Aria DiMaio, Ronin Zucchino and Loveda Cook, and in-laws Patty Cook, Craig Daniels and Julie Cook.
A private memorial service will be held in accordance with her wishes.
The family requests donations to the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in her memory.
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