Rita Mae Brown Cook

Rita Mae Brown Cook, 84, died April 11, 2017, at Forsyth Medical Center after a brief illness. She was born to John Clarence and Velma Liles Brown on May 23, 1932, in Fyffe, Alabama. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, where she also did graduate work and was a member of Kappa Gamma.

Rita married Leon P. Cook, Jr., in 1957 and they moved to Winston-Salem where they raised two fine sons. A member of New Hope United Methodist Church, she taught Sunday school there for over thirty years. She was active in her community, serving in many volunteer organizations. One of her most rewarding endeavors was providing hundreds of coats to the children at Old Town Elementary School; she would buy coats from consignment shops and Goodwill during the year then donate the coats so the school could make certain no child ever went without during the winter.

Her husband of 52 years preceded her in death in 2010. She is survived by her sons, Pete Cook and Greg Cook, as well as Tonya Cook, Greg’s wife; her brother, John V. Brown, and sister, Sharon Brown Beck, reside in Alabama with their families.

The family will receive friends Thursday, April 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Frank Vogler & Sons Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held the next day at 11:00 a.m. at New Hope United Methodist Church.