Sarah Erlene Cook, age 95
Funeral Services for Sarah Erlene Cook, age 95, a resident of Knollwood Manor in Lafayette, TN, formerly of Red Boiling Springs, were conducted on Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.
Funeral Services for Sarah Erlene Cook, age 95, a resident of Knollwood Manor in Lafayette, TN, formerly of Red Boiling Springs, were conducted on Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. from the chapel of the Anderson & Son Funeral Home in Lafayette with Brother Kenneth Sullivan and Brother J. E. Shoulders officiating. Her grandsons, Bryan Butler, Richard Cox, Michael Cox, Gary Cook, John Cook, Joe Cook, Jeremy Cook, Steve Kimbrough, and Jeff Cook served as Pallbearers. She was transported in the antique 1913 wood carved hearse to her interment site in the Anderson & Son Memorial Park.
Sarah Erlene Cook departed this life on Friday, November 13, 2009 at Knollwood Manor in Lafayette, TN.
A native of Smith County, Tennessee, she was born Sarah Erlene Donoho on Wednesday, May 6, 1914, one of three siblings born to the late Jonas Peyton and Mattie Lucinda (Jenkins) Donoho. She was married to Victor Cleo Cook on March 7, 1934, who preceded her in death on August 11, 1987. In addition to her parents and husband of 53 years, her son, Billy Joe Cook, two brothers, Charlie and John William Donoho, sister-in-law, Velvia Donoho, and son-in-law, Ray Kimbrough preceded her in death. She was a long time member of the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Red Boiling Springs where she played the organ and piano for several years. Ms. Erlene and Mr. Victor began their married life during the “great depression” earning a reputation early on as honest , hard working Christians. After their marriage, they made their home on Carthage Road just outside of Red Boiling Springs in a small two room house filled with love. Mr. Victor later built a larger home himself from cutting and curing the timber to actually building the house. Mr. Victor was called to serve his Country in the Army in 1944 during WWII. Ms. Erlene was left to keep the home and family together. Even though times were tough she maintained a loving home for her children as she worked on the farm. The family recalls their mother working diligently to raise gardens, can and preserve God’s bounty to feed the family during the winter. They remember the old pump house filled with canned goods. Winter months found Ms. Erlene making quilts by hand to keep her family warm and to sell. She would sell a “pickle dish quilt” for $25.00. They grew cotton for the quilt batting. When she got a stack of cotten up to the top of a straight chair, she knew that was enough to prepare a quilt. She would save tobacco sacks to set together a quilt. Many Saturdays, after a long tiring day and all her family were in bed, you would find her making cakes, pies, getting chicken ready to cook before church on Sunday so that her family would be fed after church. Many times she would make her husband’s favorite coconut pie. Mr. Cook had a combine and he would combine for other people. During these days, Ms. Erlene would prepare food, put it in little bowls, and take him his lunch in a dish pan. She milked cows and sold the milk to the cheese plant. After the kids were grown and left home, she would attend craft fairs to sell her beautiful works of art and Mr. Cook would go with her and visit with the “men folk”. Other work she did over her 95 years was going door to door selling household products, working during the summer at the Donoho Hotel in Red Boiling Springs, working as an aide at the Palace Nursing Home, and served for a few years as a bus driver for mentally handicapped children. In her later years, you would find her busy crocheting beautiful bed spreads, table cloths, doilies, and her favorite, baby Afghans. She adored her family and one of her greatest pleasures in life was preparing for the large family gatherings during holidays. Her children reflect on and talked about one of the greatest compliments a mother could receive from their children and that was that she was a Christian, a Godly woman. Everyone enjoyed being around her. She is survived by, daughters and sons-in-law, Pauline “Polly” Kimbrough of Castalian Springs, TN, Christine and G. W. Cox of Bethpage, TN, Elizabeth “Beth” and Terry Butler of Lafayette, TN, son, Thomas Cook of Gallatin, TN, 13 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren.
