Martha M. Still Cook

Martha May Cook, 101, of Windham, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the Warde Health Center on June 24, 2014. She was born in St. Louis, MO on May 1, 1913 the daughter of Joseph and Emma (Riester) Still. She was a lifelong resident of St. Louis and was educated in the local school system graduating from Normandy High School and the Harris Teachers College.

Following her husband’s death in 1961, Martha returned to teaching, a career she loved, in order to raise her children on her own. She taught in University City Public Schools until her retirement. Martha was very independent and felt strongly that education was the foundation for a good life. She encouraged her own children and grandchildren as well as her students to pursue higher education and lifelong learning.

Following her retirement she enjoyed travelling, reading, visiting family and making new friends. She relocated to Florida where she lived in the Good Samaritan Retirement Community for 20 years. In 2007 her family moved to New Hampshire where she again made many new friends especially at Birch Heights in Derry and Warde Health Center in Windham.

She was predeceased by her husband Alfred Cook in 1961 and by her brother Joseph Still Jr.

Members of her family include her three daughters Linnea Cook and her husband Pieter Dykema of Livermore, CA, Kristina Cook and her husband Charles Walker of Derry and Cynthia Martin of Dallas TX, her four grandchildren Kenneth Walker, Courtney Carignan and her husband Adam, Katie Martin and Mirria Martin and her great-grandson Archer Carignan as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

There were no calling hours. A Memorial Service was celebrated on Friday July 11 at 10:30AM in the Warde Health Center Chapel 21 Searles Rd. Windham. Urn burial will be at a later date in St. Louis. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations in Martha’s name be made to the Warde Health Center or to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy 516 No. Adams St. Tallahassee, FL 32301.