Johanna Cook

Johanna Cook was a wonderful woman, who lived a long and wonderful life, a life full of family and fond memories. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother, and a teacher to so many over the years. Most of all, she taught us through her own shining example.

Johanna's story began in the little town of Allegan, Michigan in 1911, a time of such great change in this country, with the invention of the automobile and the airplane revolutionizing the world. That year brought a joyous change to Johannes and Ida (Berens) Boerman, with the birth of their second of eight children, a daughter they named Johanna.

Johanna and her seven siblings were raised in the small farming town of Bentheim, Michigan, southeast of Holland. The family attended the Bentheim Reformed Church, and Johanna went to high school in Burnips. After graduating, she attended Farris College for a time, but she soon had more on her mind than schoolwork. She soon met a wonderful young man named Julius Cook, and the two quickly fell in love, and were married in 1932. They were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Dolores in 1933, and Carol in 1938, who brought them so much joy.

Johanna went back to school, to Western Michigan University, where she got her teaching degree. When her girls were going to school, Johanna began teaching at Lakewood School, back then just a two-room schoolhouse, where she taught for more than 30 years.

Johanna also taught Sunday school for many years, and was very proud of being a charter member of the Fellowship Reformed Church in Holland. She had many other interests besides school and church, however.

The family lived near the Ottawa County Fairgrounds, and volunteering there and going to the fair was such a wonderful part of Johanna's life. She also had a beautiful garden she tended to, and loved to watch the birds on the feeders in her yard. In their retirement, she and Julius traveled extensively throughout the U.S., and even took three trips to Europe. She was a woman with an active mind, and also did the crossword puzzle in the paper every day of her life.

Sadly, Johanna died Thursday, December 7, 2006, at Holland Hospital. She was a wonderful woman, with a long and wonderful life, a life so full of family, faith and friendship. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and a woman who taught us all so much. Her lessons, and her love, live on today in all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years Julius Cook in 1988.

Her family includes: daughters Dolores Topp of Holland, MI. Carol and David Rogers of Holland, MI.; eight grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren; sisters Loula Palmbos of Hudsonville, Jennie De Ridder of Wyoming, MI., Myrtle and Hessel Yonker of Burnips, MI.; In-laws Laverne Lampen of Zeeland, Laverne and Margaret Cook of Holland, Robert and Janet Osterbaan of Holland; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Services will be 11 AM Monday at Fellowship Reformed Church of Holland with The Rev. James Baar officiating. Burial will be in Pilgrim Home Cemetery.

Visiting will be from 2-4 pm Sunday at Northwood Chapel Dykstra Life Story Funeral Home 295 Douglas Ave. Holland, MI.

Memorials may be made to Fellowship Reformed Church of Holland.

Please visit www.lifestorynet.com for further information and an online registry.