The Lord called Helen Marie Lobner Cook home on May 1, 2020 at the age of 95. Helen was born on January 8, 1925 in Vienna, Austria where she was raised and studied to become a seamstress. During World War II, Helen met the love of her life in U.S. Army Staff sergeant Dave Lewis Cook. The two were married in Austria and when the war ended, returned to the states where they raised their two sons, Pat and Gary.
Helen became a Naturalized U.S. Citizen in 1955. As a resident of Hazen, Arkansas, Helen initially worked at Pages’ Supermarket where she loved to assist in communicating with the Slovak patrons, easing the language barrier. Helen also worked for many years at J.R.’s Modern Cleaners completing a variety of tasks associated with the business.
Helen was a member of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Slovak. She loved gardening, baking, sewing and cooking full meals for her entire family on Sunday afternoons. If Helen wasn’t at home she could often be found walking around Hazen for exercise, which typically spans around six miles per day. She walked all of her great-grandchildren to the post office, and if they were well behaved, they got to stop to explore the “Turtle Creek”.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her five siblings, her husband, Dave Lewis and her youngest son, Gary Lee Cook. She is survived by her son, David Patrick (Carolyn) Cook of Hazen and her daughter-in-law, Cathy Cook of Jacksonville; five granddaughters, Regina (Freddie) Ibbotson of Lonoke, Tracie (Billy) Harrison of De Valls Bluff, Angie (Davy) Williams of Biscoe, Kim Warner and Carrie Cook of Jacksonville.
She also leaves behind numerous great-grandchildren, BJ (Chelsey) Harrison, Bryce (Elaina) Sims, Taylor (Paige) Ibbotson, Josh Harrison, Parker Ibbotson, Brenon (Abby) Williams, Brayden Williams, Brance Williams, and great-great-grandchildren, Eden and Garner Sims and Mary Harrison.
Graveside services will be held 2:00 P.M., Monday, May 4, 2020 at the Hazen Cemetery.
May you Rest In Peace. God speed
What a sweet, God loving person. I adored her. She and Marge Chedister were great friends. She will be missed
Miss Helen was the best.
She always had fresh baked cookies when we visited Hazen and welcomed everyone with open arms. She was a precious gift to the Chedister family, giving, loving and forgiving in the kindest way. We will keep her memory in our hearts.
We are so sorry for your loss, she was a wonderful woman.
Oh my goodness – I hadn’t heard. I am so very, very sorry for your loss. She was a wonderful roommate to Mother and I was always so grateful for your family’s kindness to Mother when visiting Miss Helen. Prayers for peace and strength at this time.
Mrs. Helen was always a favorite. I don’t know how long I’ve known her, but it seems like my whole life. She was a wonderful woman! Loved her!❤️
What a remarkable life Mrs. Helen lived and what a blessing she was to all those who knew her. Born and reared in Austria, marrying U.S Army SSgt Dave Cook, coming to the states after WWII, becoming a Hazen resident, rearing Pat and Gary as a wonderful mother, then becoming a grandmother, great-grandmother, and a great-great grandmother–these were wonderful chapters of her life of 95 years. As I was growing up, I knew Mrs. Helen and Mr. Dave as parents of one of my classmates, Pat. Later I was pleased to learn that they bought and lived in the same house in which I was born. Much later I was privileged to become better acquainted with Mrs. Helen at the Hazen nursing home as I visited there and conducted devotional services there. She was sweet, kind, and an encourager and I always looked forward to visiting with her. We prayed together often and I think she was a greater blessing to me than I probably was to her. She was one of God’s beautiful flowers in His radiant earthly garden. All who knew Mrs. Helen will cherish her sweet legacy. May God’s Word and His Holy Spirit (the “Comforter”) provide peaceful strength, soothing comfort, and blessed assurance at this time.
Dear Carolyn and Pat, yu took such good care of her. I had no idea about her life. Sounds like a wonderful life with many loved ones and happy times and good health for much of her life. Didn’t know until today about her passing away. My prayers are with you both. Live out her legacy. Honor her life with yours. Love Laurie Tompkins kerr