Sylvia Cook

Sylvia Joyce Cook, 86, of Lakewood, formerly of Greeley, died Sunday, August 2, 2015 at Brookdale of Green Mountain in Lakewood. Sylvia was born on December 19, 1928 in Leroy, Saskatchewan, Canada. She was one of seven children born to Anton and Alma (Pederson) Johnson.

Sylvia was educated as a nurse, graduating from St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon in 1950. She then worked in Saskatchewan before moving to Hawaii in 1952 where she met Verland Cook. Verland was stationed in Hawaii with the US Air Force. They were married on October 4, 1953 in Los Angeles, California.

Sylvia and Verland lived in Montana, California, Turkey and Washington D.C. during his Air Force service. He retired in 1970 from the military and they moved to Greeley, near Verland’s family.

While in Greeley, Sylvia worked at North Colorado Medical Center until her retirement in 1991. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Greeley and stayed active by volunteering with Hospice of Northern Colorado as well as the Quilting Circle at the First United Methodist Church. She was an avid gardener, reader and walker. She loved to travel and had the opportunity to visit her bucket-list locations of Ireland, Norway, Alaska and Australia. She was a bright, energetic and loving lady, and greeted each day with a happy spirit.

Sylvia is survived by daughter, Sheryl LaRue of Albuquerque, New Mexico; two sons, Ronald Cook (Diane) of Lakewood and Steven Cook (Elizabeth) of Gig Harbor, Washington; her sister, Eileen Hart of Langley, B.C. Canada; sisters-in-law, Diane Cook of Loveland and Nina Lou Cook of Greeley; three brothers, Myron Johnson (Doreen) of Leroy, Sask., Canada and Lorne Johnson and Dennis Johnson (Sharon) all of Saskatoon, Sask., Canada; two granddaughters, Jacque and Haley and two great-grandchildren, Addison and Ezekiel.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Verland, who died February 1, 2003 and two brothers, Wallace and Robert.

A Celebration of Life will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2015 at the Chapel of First United Methodist Church. Private family inurnment Sunset Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Hospice of Northern Colorado, First United Methodist Church of Greeley or the American Heart Association in care of Stoddard Funeral Home, 3205 West 28th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80634.

Please visit www.stoddardsunset.com to sign an online guestbook.