Betty Shoemaker Cook

""Legacy: When the oak is felled, the whole forest echoes with its fall, but a hundred acorns are sown in silence by an unnoticed breeze." - Thomas Carlyle. Our beautiful, caring, and loving mother, Betty Joy Shoemaker Cook, age 88, went to be with the Lord August 22, 2016. She was a faithful servant of Christ, his church, and her family. She spent her life serving others and now she has heard, "Well done, good and faithful servant." She is with the Lover of her soul and reunited with so many dear ones who have gone before her. We grieve her absence but rest in the full assurance of the Resurrection. Betty graduated from LSU with a degree in nursing, then went on to graduate from Charity Hospital School of Nursing. She lived a life of service, both in her professional and personal lives. When not working as a Public Health nurse in the East Baton Rouge Health Unit, she selflessly gave her time and attention to her dear husband, Mike (former Advocate Outdoor Editor), her five children, and her neighbors. Her children all felt special and loved, and will miss her tremendously. She proofread all of Mike's columns, and traveled with him to different fishing rodeos and conferences. Betty loved fishing, and once caught a 152-pound tarpon. After retirement from the State of Louisiana, Betty worked for the Teen Advocacy Program, trying to break the cycle of teen pregnancy and poverty in our state. When Betty retired, she continued to live her life to the fullest. She loved to play Joker, which she learned while traveling with the Louisiana Unit of the Airstream Club of America. She taught her children to play, and many spirited games ensued! She loved to travel, taking cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska, and traveling to Hawaii, Las Vegas, Victoria, BC, and many, many other locations. Betty loved spending time with her many grandchildren and great grandchildren, and they loved spending time with her. Until she had heart valve replacement surgery in May of 2013, she regularly attended Church of the Holy Spirit, participated in Tai Chi classes three days per week, drove all of her friends to church and appointments, did volunteer work in Our Fathers' Garden, and made dinner every night. In late 2013, Betty was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. This awful disease attacked a lifetime of precious memories, memories that she has now won back as she rests in her eternal home. These memories will live on in each and every relationship she developed throughout her life. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Horace M. "Mike" Cook, her parents, Charles E. Shoemaker, Sr. and Gracie Alberta Futral Shoemaker, her brother, Charles E. Shoemaker, Jr., and her nephew, Charles E. "Chuckie" Shoemaker, III. She is survived by her sister Hertha (Perry) Barrilleaux of Franklin, LA, her children and their spouses Keigh (Rick) Flack of Issaquah, WA; Betz Guice (Rob) Tuminello of Baton Rouge, Sally (David) Hutchinson of Greenwell Springs, Nina (Les) Callendar of Denham Springs, and Mike Cook of Baton Rouge, grandchildren Kahne Rockwell (Federal Way, WA); Reid (Lujennie) Leake (Portland, OR); Rachel (Ryan) Mangin (Foothill Ranch, CA); as Allisyn (J.R.) Conerly of Knoxville, TN; Lily Guice, (Baton Rouge, LA); Amy (Brian) Schmolke (Alexandria, LA); Aaron Hutchinson (Greenwell Springs, LA), Katie and Lindsay Callendar (Denham Springs, LA), Jeff Tuminello (Baton Rouge, LA); Brett (Mandy) Tuminello (Prairieville, LA); and Blaine Callendar (New Orleans, LA). She is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren: Brit Cook, Cody Rockwell, Horace Leake, Frederick Leake, Winslow Leake, Amelia Conerly, Evelyn Leake, Max Conerly, Luke Schmolke, Lily Schmolke, Quentin Leake, and Bodhi Mangin. Special thanks to the great staff at St. James Place Health and Wellness: Rhonda, Linda, Courtney, Niya, and a host of other great employees from St James Place too numerous to name, and Alice Mae Harris, long time friend. Viewing will be held at Rabenhorst East Funeral Home, 11000 Florida Blvd., from 12:00pm - 2:00pm, with services at 2:00pm on Friday, August 26, followed by a reception at Rabenhorst. There will be a private burial at Port Hudson National Cemetery, Zachary, LA. Donations to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. (www.alzfdn.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.alzfdn.org/" target="_blank">www.alzfdn.org) in Betty's memory would be appreciated in lieu of flowers.