Phyllis A. Cook

Phyllis A. Cook, 94, of 502 Church Street, St. Marys, passed away in her sleep Monday, November 6, 2023 at Valley View Retirement Community in Belleville, PA.

She was born May 5, 1929 in Indianapolis, IN, daughter of the late Walter and Helen Brandenburger Stuck at the outset of the Great Depression. Their family farm raised turkeys, milked cows, cultured honey bees, and grew corn to survive when it was still possible to have an active farm inside the city limits of Indianapolis. She earned her teaching degree from Indiana Central College and additionally trained at Indiana University. Phyllis taught 1st and 4th Grade many years in the St. Marys Public Schools.

Phyllis met her future husband Harold E. Cook, Jr. while he served in the U.S. Navy Engineering Department at Purdue University. They were married at Holy Rosary Church and Hal preceded her in death on December 4, 2004.

Phyllis is survived two daughters: Barbara Schultz (Walter) of Mississauga, Ontario Canada and Marcia Goebel of Kingman, AZ; two sons: Harold E. Cook III of Huntington, WV and Robert Cook of Centre Hall, PA; nine grandchildren: Genine Schultz, Michelle Schultz, Aaron Schultz, Aileen Schultz, Chistopher Cook, Donelle Melville, Harold Cook, IV, Michael Cook, and Tess Goebel; eleven great-grandchildren; one great-great grandson; and her younger sister, Carol Witthaus of Lawrenceburg, KY.

Phyllis hosted meetings and garage sales for the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is a direct descendent of Sgt. Johnny George–who both wintered at Valley Forge with General George Washington and served as Washington’s drummer boy. She served faithfully in the Altar Guild at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, was active in the Christian Cursillo Movement, and volunteered her time in the gift shop at Penn Highlands Elk.

A Mass of Christian Remembrance will be held in the St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Friday, November 17, 2023 at 12:00PM with the Rev. Thomas Curry, OSB, celebrating. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Indianapolis, IN.

Visitation will be held at the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home on Thursday, November 16, 2023 from 5:00PM until 7:00PM and again on Friday, November 17, 2023 from 10:30AM until 11:30AM.

Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908 or to Shriners Hospitals for Children, PO Box 947765, Atlanta, GA, 30394.