Fern Elizabeth Bentley Cooke

Cooke, Fern Elizabeth Bentley, age 96, a longtime resident of Cincinnati and currently residing at the Trinity Community of Beavercreek, passed away on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, at The Hospice of Dayton. She was born in Covington , KY on August 15, 1920, the daughter of Solomon Benjamin and Ida Teresa (Kistenmacher) Bentley, who preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her two sisters, Ursal Katherine Markland and Charlotte Ann Coldiron as well as her brother, Benjamin Solomon Bentley. Fern was the beloved wife of William Cooke, for 70 years, who preceded her in death on July 20, 2011; the devoted mother of William (Bill) Cooke and his wife, Nina, of Beavercreek , OH ; and the dear grandmother of Kendal L. (Cooke) Dynes and her husband, Cole, of Oviedo , FL. Fern was a 1939 graduate of Holmes H.S. in Covington , KY. Upon graduation she worked at Liberty Cherry Factory, and in 1940, she began working for Greene Line Steamers as one of only two women employed by the company. Fern and William lived several places during their marriage, including Decatur , GA , from 1963-1979, where she took up golf. Fern continued golfing and had many close friends at Beckett Ridge Country Club from 1979-1992. She loved watching the Reds, Bengals, and UK basketball. In her later years, she also enjoyed spending winters at their home in Florida near The Villages. Throughout her life, Fern loved cooking, sewing, and dancing. Above all, she cared deeply for her family and friends, and went out of her way to make them happy. Private services will be held at the convenience of the family. The family requests that contributions in memory of Fern be made to either The Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Avenue, Dayton, OH 45420 or a Hospice organization of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.tobiasfuneralhome.com/. Arrangements in care of the TOBIAS FUNERAL HOME-BEAVERCREEK CHAPEL, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, OH 45432