Bonnie Massey Cook

BONNIE ELOISE MASSEY COOK, a member of the Massey/Kay pioneer Texas families and related to numerous military veterans beginning prior to The Civil War, was born December 15, 1917, at home in Cedar Bayou, Texas, and died on June 16 at the age of 98 1/2 in Dallas, Texas. Bonnie graduated as valedictorian of her class of 13 from Cedar Bayou High School now Baytown. During World War II, she and her sister Virgie were employed by Humble Oil and they were proud of their efforts to support the War. Bonnie married John Sledge Cook, an Exxon executive, in 1949 at Alexander Chapel at Cedar Bayou United Methodist Church. Being a dedicated Christian, she was the oldest member of Cedar Bayou Grace United Methodist Church in Baytown, Texas, at the time of her demise. Following the generous tradition of her family, Bonnie contributed to many charities throughout her life and, as a member of The President's Circle at Lee College, she took great pleasure in encouraging students, teachers and staff. She was a faithful Lee College student herself for many years and studied piano, photography and doll making. Her beautiful azaleas and roses were a well known visitor stop in the Baytown area. Bonnie and John were members of The Humble Club and charter members of the Goose Creek Country Club in Baytown and enjoyed many happy celebrations. Bonnie was the granddaughter of Calvin J. Massey and wife, Emily Eugenia Massey. Her grandfather fought in The Civil War and was a survivor of Pickett's Charge at The Battle of Gettysburg. Her grandparents came to Cedar Bayou, Texas, in 1871 from their plantation near Canton, Mississippi because of their friendship with Texas pioneer Dr. Ashbel Smith. Her grandmother lived until her nineties with Bonnie's family at Cedar Bayou and she and her siblings knew Civil War stories from Grandma Massey. Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Charles D. and Nettie Kay Massey. Her mother died in 1923 and her father was elected the County Commissioner, Place #2, for Harris County, Texas. Commissioner Massey was a member of the group of Harris County businessmen who implemented their strategic plan for the growth of the area and he was a pioneer overseer in conjunction with George R. Brown in the construction of many of the first roads and bridges in Harris County. Mr. Massey died in office in 1934 and was succeeded in office by his third wife, Beatrice Massey Dixon, who became the first woman County Commissioner in the State of Texas. Bonnie was also preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Sledge Cook, her sister and brother-in-law, Virgie Joyce Massey Gray and husband Abilene Christian University track star Elmer J. Gray, her sister and brother-in-law, Mattie Mae Massey Marable and her husband Harry Marable, her brothers, Harry Massey and his wife Jean, Percy Massey and Lorraine Massey, her brother-in-law John Daneman of New York City, her former sister-in-law Irene Ulrich Massey, her niece Jeanie Stevens Cook of Tennessee and her nephew Dr. Charles Marable of Ft. Worth, Texas. After the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Gray, Bonnie was the family advisor concerning their collections, documents, bequests and endowments throughout Texas. She is survived by her sister Sybil Massey Daneman of New York City, New York, daughter Jo Cook Schorp and husband William Alfred Schorp of Houston, daughter Julie Cook Niederer and husband Kenneth Dale Niederer of Dallas, and son John Paul Cook and wife, Janet Walker Cook of Houston; her grandsons William Joseph Schorp and wife Nicole of Houston, Jacob Stephen Cook of Houston, James Walker Cook of Houston, and John Russell Niederer of Dallas and two infant twin great grandsons Marshall Owen Schorp and Michael Austin Schorp; her niece Patti Kate Massey Culbert and husband Don of Houston and nephew Seth Massey of Highlands, Texas, her great nieces, Juliette Lindsey Kroll of Dallas, Texas and Denise Wilson Doran of Florida; great nephews Quinn Kroll of Houston, Alan Wilson and wife Kristi Wilson of Arlington, Texas; great great nieces, Kinzie and Zoe Wilson of Ft. Worth and Brooke, Morgan and Kendal Doran of Florida. Bonnie is also survived by the extended Cook family including nephew Steve Cook and his son Garrett Cook of Tennessee and Wilith Cook and wife, Judy, of Northport, Alabama, and Kay family cousins Blanche Henry and Marlene Henry of Liberty, Texas.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 P.M. and the funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 25, 2016 in the Alexander Chapel, Cedar Bayou Grace United Methodist Church in Baytown, Texas. Burial will follow the service at Cedar Crest Cemetery which is adjacent to the Cedar Bayou Grace United Methodist Church property.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are her son, 4 grandsons, and son-in-law Kenneth Dale Niederer. Honorary pallbearers are William Alfred Schorp, Randall Milton Schorp, Kevin Schorp, Kevin Mote, Quinn Kroll, Kyle Kilgore, Billy Barnett, Joe Kubick, Henry Stewart, Glenn Troha, David Troha, Steve Cook, Garrett Cook and Wilith Cook. There will be a reception following the service(s) at the home of Jo and William Schorp at 5828 Auden, Houston, Texas 77005, on June 25, at 5:30 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Cedar Bayou Grace United Methodist Church, Attn: Curt's Kitchen (a food service for the community), 2714 Ferry Road, Baytown, Texas, 77520, 281.427.4754.