Augusta McDonough Cook

Augusta was born in Oklahoma City, Ok, on July 10, 1927. After the passing of her father when she was only 18 months old, her mother moved with her 2 young children to her parents’ home in Arkansas. Augusta graduated from Hot Springs High School, then began attending Henderson State College (now University). When her stepfather refused to let her mother continue to help pay for college and jobs were scarce, Augusta and her only sibling – a brother, Marvin – followed other family members to live in Fort Worth, TX.

After a short marriage and one daughter, Augusta found work as a teletype operator at a department store and then was hired by American Airlines as a teletype operator. Working at Meacham Field, she met Neil Cook, who also worked for American Airlines. They married in May of 1956 and had 4 children who were raised at a country home in Bedford, TX.

Augusta had attended a Christian Science church in Hot Springs and in 1961 became a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist in North Richland Hills, TX, where she served in numerous capacities, including 40 years as the beloved church organist.

In addition to playing the organ, Augusta enjoyed attending concerts of the Ft Worth Symphony Orchestra. She also enjoyed swimming, walking outdoors or on a treadmill, and traveling. She made many trips to Arkansas, Colorado, and Kansas to visit family, as well as numerous trips to other locations. In 1986, she flew to Hawaii with daughter, Christy, to visit son, Chuck, who was living there at the time. In 2012, she took a cruise to Alaska with daughter Gail. In 2014, she flew with son, Tom, and Gail to visit Chuck in Massachusetts, where they attended a Sunday service at The Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. She and husband, Neil, enjoyed dining out and especially liked to join the American Airlines Retirees for their monthly breakfasts. Family get-togethers on both sides of the family were beloved events – many of them held at the Cook home in Bedford.

Augusta was preceded in death by both parents, William Jewell McDonough and Clara Bess Maddox Appleton, her brother Leonard Marvin McDonough and his wife Lela Haas, brother-in-laws Carl and Martin Cook, sister-in-law Margaret Cook Drake and her husband Bill, two sons-in-law: Charles Wayne White and William Michael O’Connor, and her husband of 54 years, Neil G. Cook. Augusta is survived by all five of her children: Carol Cook White (Dustin King), Gail Cook O’Connor, Tom Cook, Chuck Cook (Celeste Sweet), and Christy Cook Jordan (Kirk), 8 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren, as well as 2 sisters-in-law: Patsy Cook and Marie Cook Cleveland, and numerous beloved nephews and nieces, and cousins.

Per her request, no memorial service will be held for Augusta. A private family gathering will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Church of Christ, Scientist, 7318 NE Loop 820, North Richland Hills, TX 76180.