Mary Emma Cook

Mary Cook passed away on November 21st 2022 at age 82

Mary was born Mary Bruckener in Umbarger Texas on April 27th 1940.

Because of a mix up by the Catholic Church’s Baptismal Certificate, Mary picked up on a misrepresented fact, her birthday was on March 31st 1940 and she celebrated it every year of her life. She was the ninth of eleven children. During the war, at the age of four, the family moved to California where he father could get work in the shipyards.

Shortly thereafter her Mother contracted pneumonia and passed away, Mary was 4 years old and her mother died because the antibiotics were only being used for servicemen. Her Father couldn’t care for her and the other kids, so, the family was broken up, the older children went into foster homes and Mary and her sister Bonnie were placed into a Catholic Orphanage, The Albertinum, in Ukiah CA, where she lived and was educated until the age of eleven when she went to live in a foster home in Escalon CA with an Irish catholic family, the Trembley’s and grew up alongside her foster sister JoAnn & foster brother Lenny, the Trembley’s adopted children and brothers Victor, Leonard and David.

The kids got along well together and all graduated from Escalon High School. Mary upon graduation, pursed a college education in San Francisco at San Francisco State and majoring in drama attending the classes of Dr. Herbert Blau and Jules Irving noted drama teachers and theater contributors. Graduating in 1963.

During her college years Mary lived in San Francisco and worked in various Italian restaurants where she met John Cook and later got married and raised a family, having two beautiful boys with John, Michael and Christopher. Sadly, the children were born deaf and Mary needed to be near special schools for the boys and bought a house, in 1967 in Menlo Park.

Sadly, the marriage didn’t work out and John & Mary divorced and Mary was left to raise the boys on her own. Important to say the over the years she did a spectacular job as the boys grew up to be fine responsible young men, Michael marrying and rising a family of his own giving Mary three grandchildren, Joshua, Austin & Kala, and Christopher living close to and caring for his mother all of his life.

When the boys were a bit older Mary pursued work with the Dept. of Social Services in Santa Clara County where she had a 35 year career. Retiring in 2006 and spending time and travel with her friend of many years Tim Chervenak. Since they met before she married John they had a lifelong interest in each other and remained very close over the years.

In late 2013 Mary exhibited signed of dementia and over the years it got progressively worse, but with the help of the Kaiser Medical Team, led by Allyson Fisch NP, and loving home care from her son Christopher and partner, Tim, she managed to have a quiet comfortable life in her home for nine years until her passing, at home, on Monday Nov. 21st.

Her passing leaves a void that will never be filled. She leaves behind her loved ones, son Christopher, foster sister JoAnn Marshall, life partner Tim Chervenak and grandchildren Austin and Kala. Also many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her beautiful son Michael who passed in 2006 of cancer at age 42, he ex-husband John Cook age 74 and grandchild Joshua age 5 of complications from being a premature baby.

Mary will be interred near her son and grandson in Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose CA

A visitation for Mary will be held Tuesday, December 20, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. A visitation will occur Wednesday, December 21, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. A visitation will occur Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM, 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. A committal service will occur Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM at Oak Hill Memorial Park & Mortuary, 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. A graveside service will occur Thursday, December 22, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Oak Hill Memorial Park & Mortuary, 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oakhillfuneral.com for the Cook family.