Obituary for Dorlene Cook

Dorlene Ann (Spillman) Cook of Ponca City died unexpectedly, but peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 18, 2014.

Dorlene was born on March 25, 1934 in Perry, Oklahoma to Lillian (Smith) and Ernest Spillman. The youngest of four children, Dorlene remained very close to her brother and two sisters her entire life. Dorlene graduated from Mulhall High School in 1952 and worked in Perry for a few years.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 24, 2014 at Community Christian Church with Rev. Susan Payne officiating. Burial will follow at Resthaven Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.

While attending a wrestling match with her older brother in Perry in February of 1955, she met the love of her life, Paul Dean Cook. A week later they were engaged, and on September 9th, 1955, Paul and Dorlene were united in marriage at First Christian Church in Perry, Oklahoma. At the time, Paul was in the Air Force stationed in Tucson, AZ where their son, Jerry, was born. After moving to Missouri and living for a few years on the Fort Leonard Army base, the family eventually settled permanently in Ponca City in 1967, which was Paul’s hometown.

Dorlene was a devoted wife and mother, and took great pride and happiness from taking care of her family. She was an excellent cook, enjoyed trying different craft projects and was very adept at needle work and sewing. Dorlene and Paul spent many weekends and holidays at family gatherings with both the Cooks and Spillmans. She and Paul enjoyed playing cards and games, and met weekly for years with Paul’s sister, Marty and husband Garry and other couples to play Dominos for hours. Dorlene worked for over twenty years as the secretary at East Junior High School and enjoyed her friends and colleagues. After retiring she met monthly for many years with a group of fellow retired secretaries for lunch.

In 1993, her son Jerry married Diane Solinger in Denver, Colorado. A few years later after relocating to Minnesota, Dorlene’s two grandchildren, Chris and Natalie, were born. Dorlene was a doting grandmother who loved being a grandma. She was always known as “MeMom” because that was how Chris pronounced Grandma when he was a toddler and it stuck! Papa and MeMom traveled to Minnesota 3-4 times a year for holidays, to watch the kids over school breaks and to build many, many memories with their grandkids. There were too many trips to count to the Science Museum in St. Paul, the Mall of America, the Children’s Museum and the Minnesota Zoo. Papa and MeMom wanted to participate in everything they possibly could in their grandkids’ lives! Even though they lived hundreds of miles away, it always felt like they were right around the block, because MeMom followed everything that was going on with her grandkids.

Dorlene was a very generous person with a big heart who would do whatever she could to help any member of her immediate and extended family. She was patient, nurturing, gentle, fun and an excellent listener. She was a positive person who made the best of every situation. Dorlene, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and friend leaves us all with sadness in our hearts, but many treasured memories. We will miss her deeply.

Dorlene is survived by her husband of 59 years, Paul Cook, son Jerry and wife Diane, and two grandchildren, Chris and Natalie, all of Moorhead, Minnesota; her sister, Donna Brengle of Greeley, CO, sister-in-law and husband Margaret (Marty) and Garry Yates of Ponca City, OK, brother-in-law and wife John and Barbara Cook of Perry, OK, sister-in-law Gloria Cook of Orlando, OK, sister-in-law and husband Joyce and Munroe Eisenbeisz of Green Valley, AZ, and sister-in-law Kristine Spillman of Moore, OK, and many nieces and nephews. Dorlene was preceded in death by her father, step-father and mother, sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Merle Hafner, brother Amos (A.C.) Spillman, brother-in-laws Bob Cook and Kenneth Brengle.

Flowers or memorials in memory of Dorlene may be sent to Community Christian Church, Ponca City, OK.

Source: Trout Funeral Home