Mary Cook

Mary was born April 22, 1925 to Ambrous Olin Willingham Sr. and Alda Ruth (Miller) Willingham. She was one of ten siblings. Mary was born in Newberry, South Carolina and attended Newberry High School where she was on the basketball team. After high school, she worked in department stores and as a seamstress.

She married Clarence Calvin Cook on July 27, 1951. His work brought about moves to Washington, DC and then to Boulder, CO where they lived for 60 years. They were longtime members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Boulder.

Mary became an accomplished seamstress, including making matching outfits for her daughters, upholstering furniture and even making her own white linen wedding suit.

Mary’s interests included swimming at the Boulder reservoir and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, ice skating to the music at Lake Pactolus, knitting, gardening and camping. Mary was also known for her cooking, making the most delicious fresh-caught trout while camping, sometimes even for breakfast when the catch was bountiful. Mary brought true meaning to the holidays through her crafts and cooking, as she made many holiday decorations including beautiful sugar Easter eggs and sequined Christmas ornaments. Mary baked the world’s best cherry pies and apple pies as well as banana nugget cookies, and no Christmas was complete without her array of delicious cookies.

Mary is survived by her two sisters Myra Berley and Helen Smith. She is also survived by her three children, Carol (Keith) Mathers, Sharon (Tom) Spivey and David Cook. Grandchildren include Leah (Michael) Doyle, Kyler Spivey, Jessica Spivey, Ryan Mathers and Eric (Cynthia) Mathers. Great grandchildren are Moira Doyle, Declan Doyle, Otis Doyle and Serafina Mathers.

She was preceded in death by her husband Clarence, brothers Olin, Earl, John and Ted Willingham, sisters Ann Willingham, Ruth Yon and Joy Thomas, and grandson Jason Mathers.

Funeral services will be held at Crist Mortuary on Saturday June 8, 2019. An open casket viewing will be held from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM. Memorial service will start at 2:00 PM and burial will take place at Mountain View Cemetery in Boulder at 3:30 PM.

Memorial contributions can be made to:

Covenant Village of Colorado Benevolent fund

9153 Yarrow St.

Westminster, CO. 80021