Ellen is survived by her children, Fred Cook (Cyndi) of Argyle, TX; Elisa Dann (Dave) of Killeen, TX; Donna Veal (Walker) of Salado, TX; and Eric Cook (Laralee) of Sanford, NC; and her brother Horst Kretschmer of Cary, IL. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, five granddaughters, Jessica, Amanda (Patrick), Brittney, Addy, and Lilli; grandsons, Brad (Hannah), Brian, Aiden, Ben and Sam; and two great-grandchildren.
Ellen is preceded in death by her parents, Elise and Erich Kretschmer; her husband, Cletus Cook; her sisters Margot Runzer and Clara Kretschmer; and her brother Werner Kretschmer. Ellen was born on August 26th, 1934 in Wolfach, Baden, Germany. As a child, she survived World War II Germany, educated herself, and traveled as a young adult. Ellen met her husband in Frankfurt, Germany, where they started their family before she immigrated to the United States, proudly becoming an American citizen. She worked for the Killeen Independent School District for over 20 years, where was affectionately known as “Miss Ellen” at the Teacher Media Center. She had a talent for drawing, and a perfect pitch for music. Her interests included early American history, and the works of many classical authors. She enjoyed mastering the most difficult of crossword puzzles, and dancing. But her favorite pastime was family gatherings, being surrounded by the ones she loved.
A viewing and gathering is scheduled for Friday, March 22nd, 2019 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen, Texas. The funeral will take place on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 at 2:00 PM, also at Crawford-Bowers. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ellen's life. Condolences can be entered at http://Ellen-Cook.com.
