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September 25, 2023
Services
Friends are invited to visit with the family on Friday, September 29, 2023, from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A funeral Service will be offered the following day on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 4 PM at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church 395 Valley Road, Wayne. All are welcome at the repast immediately following.
Carol Cook, age 85 of Wayne, passed away on Monday, September 25, 2023.
Carol was born in Secaucus to Albert and Meta Wolf. She spent her childhood there and attended Weehawken High School where she played basketball and graduated with the class of ’54. Carol loved being outdoors and spent her summers at Hockenberry’s Farm in Flemington, NJ. Carol loved it so much she returned with Paul and their children. They all share fond memories of making blackberry ice cream with fresh picked blackberries from around the farm grounds.
Shortly after Carol’s graduation from high school, she was introduced to Paul Cook on a blind date set up by her family. The two were set up to build her cousin’s garage together and Carol quickly became attracted to his patience and kindness. Not long after, the pair fell in love. They went for a drive down route 202 in Montville and Paul asked her to pick out a style of house that she liked so that he could build it for her. After purchasing property in Wayne, they built their home with the help of family and friends. The two were married on August 17, 1957, at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Secaucus, NJ. They went on a honeymoon canoe trip to the Adirondacks. The trip was so enjoyable, they decided to make it a tradition to go back every 5 years. Paul and Carol maintained this tradition until Paul’s untimely passing in 2002.
Carol and Paul’s loving marriage led them to start a family together. They had 3 children: Paul, Lorraine and Stacey.
Carol was a loving wife and mother who made fresh baked cookies for dessert. Her children have fond memories of coming in from playing outside to the smell of those fresh baked cookies. She worked hard for her family and returned to work after her youngest daughter Stacey started high school.
Hard worker she was, Carol brushed up on her stenography skills by transcribing sermons while in church. She was hired as an executive secretary at Lincoln Park Nursing Home where she worked for over twenty-five years. Her kids joked that she had hieroglyphic notes strewn about because only she could understand them (they suspect that at least some of those notes included some jibes & barbs about them).
Carol loved gardening and is aptly referred to as the “weeding fairy” by her family because she would painstakingly remove every weed including its root system wherever she went. She loved reading, knitting, and tending to her flowers.
Carol will be remembered as loving, caring, and kind. She was very strict but in a loving way that helped instill a strong work ethic and an attitude that you could accomplish anything if you set your mind to it. She led by example and found much of her strength of will from her relationship with God. Carol attended St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Wayne every Sunday with her family and volunteered there in many ways: she taught Sunday school, worked in the nursery, helped with Heart & Hands Mission, knitting scarves for Seafarers, preparing quilts for those in need, a member of WELCA, Adult Forum, church book club, bible study, and volunteered for Wayne Interfaith Network Food Pantry of which she became the President.
One of Carol’s proudest moments occurred just this past year on Mother’s Day. Paul, Lorraine, Stacey, Don and granddaughter Hannah all decided to come together from near and far to surprise her in church as one big family. It was a moment that Carol would bring up with pride to everyone, as a special moment together in the place that she loved and devoted her life to.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Carol’s name are encouraged to consider a donation to St Timothy’s Lutheran Church Pastor’s Discretionary Fund.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends are invited to visit with the family on Friday, September 29, 2023, from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A funeral Service will be offered the following day on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 4 PM at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church 395 Valley Road, Wayne. All are welcome at the repast immediately following.
September 25, 2023
Services
Friends are invited to visit with the family on Friday, September 29, 2023, from 4-8 PM at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
A funeral Service will be offered the following day on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 4 PM at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church 395 Valley Road, Wayne. All are welcome at the repast immediately following.
Carol Cook, age 85 of Wayne, passed away on Monday, September 25, 2023.
Carol was born in Secaucus to Albert and Meta Wolf. She spent her childhood there and attended Weehawken High School where she played basketball and graduated with the class of ’54. Carol loved being outdoors and spent her summers at Hockenberry’s Farm in Flemington, NJ. Carol loved it so much she returned with Paul and their children. They all share fond memories of making blackberry ice cream with fresh picked blackberries from around the farm grounds.
Shortly after Carol’s graduation from high school, she was introduced to Paul Cook on a blind date set up by her family. The two were set up to build her cousin’s garage together and Carol quickly became attracted to his patience and kindness. Not long after, the pair fell in love. They went for a drive down route 202 in Montville and Paul asked her to pick out a style of house that she liked so that he could build it for her. After purchasing property in Wayne, they built their home with the help of family and friends. The two were married on August 17, 1957, at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Secaucus, NJ. They went on a honeymoon canoe trip to the Adirondacks. The trip was so enjoyable, they decided to make it a tradition to go back every 5 years. Paul and Carol maintained this tradition until Paul’s untimely passing in 2002.
Carol and Paul’s loving marriage led them to start a family together. They had 3 children: Paul, Lorraine and Stacey.
Carol was a loving wife and mother who made fresh baked cookies for dessert. Her children have fond memories of coming in from playing outside to the smell of those fresh baked cookies. She worked hard for her family and returned to work after her youngest daughter Stacey started high school.
Hard worker she was, Carol brushed up on her stenography skills by transcribing sermons while in church. She was hired as an executive secretary at Lincoln Park Nursing Home where she worked for over twenty-five years. Her kids joked that she had hieroglyphic notes strewn about because only she could understand them (they suspect that at least some of those notes included some jibes & barbs about them).
Carol loved gardening and is aptly referred to as the “weeding fairy” by her family because she would painstakingly remove every weed including its root system wherever she went. She loved reading, knitting, and tending to her flowers.
Carol will be remembered as loving, caring, and kind. She was very strict but in a loving way that helped instill a strong work ethic and an attitude that you could accomplish anything if you set your mind to it. She led by example and found much of her strength of will from her relationship with God. Carol attended St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Wayne every Sunday with her family and volunteered there in many ways: she taught Sunday school, worked in the nursery, helped with Heart & Hands Mission, knitting scarves for Seafarers, preparing quilts for those in need, a member of WELCA, Adult Forum, church book club, bible study, and volunteered for Wayne Interfaith Network Food Pantry of which she became the President.
One of Carol’s proudest moments occurred just this past year on Mother’s Day. Paul, Lorraine, Stacey, Don and granddaughter Hannah all decided to come together from near and far to surprise her in church as one big family. It was a moment that Carol would bring up with pride to everyone, as a special moment together in the place that she loved and devoted her life to.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Carol’s name are encouraged to consider a donation to St Timothy’s Lutheran Church Pastor’s Discretionary Fund.
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