Leota Franks Cook, 86, of Tifton passed away Sunday, February 24, 2019 at Cypress Pond Assisted Living. Her funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, February 28, 2019 in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Joshua Bowles and the Rev. Terrell Roberts officiating. Mrs. Cook will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, February 27, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Cook’s grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the Senior Members of Tift Avenue Missionary Baptist Church and the staff of Cypress Pond – the Seasons Memory Unit.
Born April 5, 1932 in Marion County, Alabama, Mrs. Cook was the daughter of the late James “Jim” Larcus Franks and Etta Mae Tesney Franks. She was also preceded in death by her husband, John Thomas Cook, who she married on March 31, 1951; one brother, Lennis Franks; four sisters, Olena Flippo, Verde Lou Chandler, Winnie Parr and Willie Mae Ball; and one great-granddaughter, Savannah Grace Cromer. Before retiring, she worked as a switchboard operator and had been a member of Tift Avenue Missionary Baptist Church for more than 20 years, where she loved to play the piano and organ during church services and sing in the choir. She was a champion grandmother and great-grandmother and her legacy to them was “I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck”.
Mrs. Cook is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Emory and Deborah Cook of Murphy, North Carolina; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Paula and Craig Pate of Fitzgerald, Debbie and Bill Cromer of Sycamore, Kathy and Roy Wilson of Nashville and Toni Hutto of Tallahassee, Florida; eleven grandchildren and their spouses, Jennifer and Justin Phillips, Georgia and Kyle Lantz, Russell and Taylor Pate, Andrew and Emily Pate, Emily and Brian Fincher, LeiAnn and Todd Thompson, Brad and Katie Cromer, Wes and Cortney Wilson, Jacob and Brandice Carmichael, Caleb and Jo Carmichael and Dylan Hutto; 19 great-grandchildren; and her faithful, furry companion, “Buddy”.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the loving staff at Cypress Pond Assisted Living in Tifton for their special care of Mrs. Cook.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to Hospice of Tift Area, 618 Central Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794; or the Alzheimer’s Association, SW Georgia Regional Office, 225 East Second Street, Tifton, GA 31794.