Ann Mathews Cook's Obituary
Ann Mathews Cook was born November 29, 1924 in Gainesville, Florida and died July 29, 2016 in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Ann was the daughter of Florida pioneers, Cecil Mathews and Ruby Riggs Mathews. Her father was the manager of H.M. Chitty and Company, a family owned men’s clothing store in downtown Gainesville. Both her friendly and hardworking father and her ladylike and resourceful mother took an active interest in their community. Ann delighted in her childhood in what was then a close-knit southern town. Gainesville was filled with friends and relations. She reminisced about regular trips to Daytona Beach, Tampa and Atlanta with her family. She frequently visited Uncle Earl’s farm on Sundays, where they shared delicious farm food with a crowd of extended family and friends. Cane syrup making, hog killings, and rides on Old Dexter, the Morgan plow horse, were just a few of the pleasures she sampled there.
After graduating from Gainesville High School, she packed her trunk and headed off to Florida State College for Women with the prideful best wishes of her father. She had fond memories of her college years. Dr. Campbell, the university president, knew each of his students by name and made a point of having all “the girls” over to the house for tea. After the exciting years of World War II, the soldiers returned from their duties and the college became co-educational. Ann and her classmates got to pick the school colors (garnet and gold) and to choose the school name “Seminoles” for the newly revived Florida State University.
After college, Ann happily put her skills to work teaching first graders down in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and later at Ozona, Florida.
While she was in Ft Lauderdale, she met and married Ralph Cook. Ralph, a brilliant chemical engineer and inventor, was working in the citrus industry in Dunedin, Florida. He and his young bride settled there and began raising a large family. For many decades, they owned and managed Cook Machinery Company.
Ann was a generous and loving mother. Her children had lots of freedom to play and explore, but when the street lights came on, they returned home to their mother’s wonderful suppers. Ann liked it best when all of her children were back in the nest.
In later years, Ann managed the office at work and continued to play bridge with friends from her younger years. Every year she cheered on the Seminole football team (her school) and because her husband and children were Gators, she graciously cheered on their team too. The main thing about Ann was her love and pride for “the family”, from ancestors who lived long ago, to her newest little greatgrandchildren.Ann was predeceased by: her parents,
Cecil William Mathews and Ruby Riggs Mathews and her husband, Ralph William Cook.
Ann is survived by her sister, Patricia Mathews Lifset (Ed); her five children,
Charles Steven Cook (Vicki), Carolyn Cook Turlington (Tobie), John Timothy Cook (Tina), Suzanne Cook Wood (James), and William Lee Cook (Heidi)
She is also survived by fourteen grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.
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