Obituary for Martha Mae Cook (Swanson)
Martha Mae (Swanson) Cook
October 1, 1943 – June 19, 2022
Martha Mae (Swanson) Cook, 78, went home to live with her Lord on June 19, 2022 after a difficult battle with cancer. Martha was born in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi to Bernard Charles Swanson and Cordie Wallace Swanson. She lived her early life in Bogue Chitto and graduated from Bogue Chitto High School in 1961. Subsequently, she went to Copiah-Lincoln Junior College and the University of Southern Mississippi where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1965. She met the love of her life, Jerry W. Cook, while attending a St. Martin High School football game. They were married in Woolmarket Baptist Church on December 31, 1966. They traveled together around the world, devoting time to their faith, their 2 sons, and their 3 grandchildren, over 52 years of marriage.
Mrs. Cook was a devoted member of her community, both religious and local. She and her husband were long-time congregants of Woolmarket Baptist Church in Biloxi, where she taught Vacation Bible School during the summers and served as a Sunday School Teacher. She enjoyed traveling around the world and helping to build several churches along the way. She was a volunteer firefighter for the Northwest Jackson County Fire Department during her retirement. She was a member of the Mississippi Master Gardener Association and kept up with her late-husband’s hobbies of growing vegetables and raising chickens, even after his passing. She was a beloved teacher in the Jackson County School District for 35 years, 30 of those years spent being the principal of St. Martin North Elementary. She could not go to the store, most of the time, without running into a former student. She was greatly respected and will be sorely missed. Most importantly, she loved her family more than anything. She loved hosting holidays at her home in Latimer. She was very proud of the accomplishments of her sons and grandchildren. She was their biggest supporter and will now watch over them from above.
Mrs. Cook is survived by her sons; Henry (Janette) of The Woodlands, TX, and William (Amy) of Kiln, MS; her 3 grandchildren, Adriana, Zachary and Augustus, who lovingly called her “Grammy”; her sister, Jennie Swanson Graham of Biloxi, MS; Great-niece, Dixie Graham of Biloxi, MS; Nephew, Mark (Stephanie), great niece and nephew, Kaylee and Owen of Hernando, MS and Dana Cook Barge of Panama City Beach, FL, as well as her in-laws, Merwyn (Brenda) Cook.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Cordie Swanson, brother and sister-in-law, Wallace and Gerald Swanson, brother-in-law, Wendall Graham and nephew, Charles Graham.
Visitation will be held at Southern Mississippi Funeral Services, 6631 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs, MS on Sunday night, June 26, 2022 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. and a second visitation will be held on Monday, June 27, 2022 from 9:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. at Woolmarket Baptist Church, 12816 Lorraine Rd, Biloxi, MS .A service will immediately follow at 11:00 A.M. Graveside Service will convene after the church service at Latimer Assembly of God Cemetery, Old Biloxi Rd., Latimer, MS.
October 1, 1943 – June 19, 2022
Martha Mae (Swanson) Cook, 78, went home to live with her Lord on June 19, 2022 after a difficult battle with cancer. Martha was born in Bogue Chitto, Mississippi to Bernard Charles Swanson and Cordie Wallace Swanson. She lived her early life in Bogue Chitto and graduated from Bogue Chitto High School in 1961. Subsequently, she went to Copiah-Lincoln Junior College and the University of Southern Mississippi where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1965. She met the love of her life, Jerry W. Cook, while attending a St. Martin High School football game. They were married in Woolmarket Baptist Church on December 31, 1966. They traveled together around the world, devoting time to their faith, their 2 sons, and their 3 grandchildren, over 52 years of marriage.
Mrs. Cook was a devoted member of her community, both religious and local. She and her husband were long-time congregants of Woolmarket Baptist Church in Biloxi, where she taught Vacation Bible School during the summers and served as a Sunday School Teacher. She enjoyed traveling around the world and helping to build several churches along the way. She was a volunteer firefighter for the Northwest Jackson County Fire Department during her retirement. She was a member of the Mississippi Master Gardener Association and kept up with her late-husband’s hobbies of growing vegetables and raising chickens, even after his passing. She was a beloved teacher in the Jackson County School District for 35 years, 30 of those years spent being the principal of St. Martin North Elementary. She could not go to the store, most of the time, without running into a former student. She was greatly respected and will be sorely missed. Most importantly, she loved her family more than anything. She loved hosting holidays at her home in Latimer. She was very proud of the accomplishments of her sons and grandchildren. She was their biggest supporter and will now watch over them from above.
Mrs. Cook is survived by her sons; Henry (Janette) of The Woodlands, TX, and William (Amy) of Kiln, MS; her 3 grandchildren, Adriana, Zachary and Augustus, who lovingly called her “Grammy”; her sister, Jennie Swanson Graham of Biloxi, MS; Great-niece, Dixie Graham of Biloxi, MS; Nephew, Mark (Stephanie), great niece and nephew, Kaylee and Owen of Hernando, MS and Dana Cook Barge of Panama City Beach, FL, as well as her in-laws, Merwyn (Brenda) Cook.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and Cordie Swanson, brother and sister-in-law, Wallace and Gerald Swanson, brother-in-law, Wendall Graham and nephew, Charles Graham.
Visitation will be held at Southern Mississippi Funeral Services, 6631 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs, MS on Sunday night, June 26, 2022 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. and a second visitation will be held on Monday, June 27, 2022 from 9:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. at Woolmarket Baptist Church, 12816 Lorraine Rd, Biloxi, MS .A service will immediately follow at 11:00 A.M. Graveside Service will convene after the church service at Latimer Assembly of God Cemetery, Old Biloxi Rd., Latimer, MS.