Helen June (Young) Cook, 94, of Eagleville, MO, passed away on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, at her son’s home in Bethany, MO.
Born on January 10, 1929, northeast of Blythedale, Missouri, Helen was the daughter of Josephus Leonard “Joe” and Nora Alice “Hon” (Owens) Young. She was raised on a farm that her grandparents had established after moving to Missouri from Indiana around 1877.
Helen completed her education in the local schools, attending Donaby Country School for her elementary years and graduating as a Salutatorian from Blythedale High School in 1947. She furthered her education at Northwest Missouri State Teachers College in Maryville, Missouri, earning her teaching certificate.
On June 30, 1949, Helen married Richard Lee “Bud” Cook at the Christian Church parsonage in Bethany. The couple was blessed with five children: Lonnie Roe, Kristy Lynne, Sally Gayle, Gina Michelle, and Jeffrey Kent.
Her career spanned various roles, from teaching at Donaby and Mt. Pleasant country schools to working as a waitress in several cafes. In 1974, Helen became a sewing machine operator at Lambert Manufacturing in Bethany, retiring after 17 years. She also served as a relief Postmaster at the Blythedale Post Office and worked at the Eagleville Welcome Center in 2017 and 2018.
A craft enthusiast, Helen enjoyed sewing and participated in craft shows across Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. She was also a skilled quilter, creating quilts for each of her grandchildren.
Active in her community, Helen was involved in the Blythedale Saddle Club, the Blythedale Homemakers Club, and the Harrison County Women in Agriculture Committee. She held leadership roles in the Harrison County Senior Center and was a member of the Eagleville Red Hat Society. A devout Christian, she joined the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in 1962, where she taught Sunday school and helped with various church programs.
Helen’s life was marked by the passing of her husband, Richard, after 43 years of marriage in 1992; her daughter, Sally Gayle in 1955; her brother, Archie Young in 2014; and grandsons-in-law, Casey LeHew in 2008 and Max Link in 2023.
She leaves behind a loving family: sons Lonnie (Patti) Cook, and Jeffrey (Kelly) Cook; daughters Kristy (Alan) Ourth and Gina (Robert) Pulliam; along with eighteen grandchildren, thirty-six great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at the Eagleville Christian Church in Eagleville, MO. The service, under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, will be followed by burial at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Blythedale, MO. The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the church. Memorials may be made to the Cedar Hill Cemetery in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Eagleville, MO 64442.
