Edna Cooke

Edna Louise Cooke, 83, of Milton, passed away Thursday, February 15, 2018. Edna was born the fifth of eight children to the late John E. and Grace Irene Denno. She has resided in Milton, Florida, since 1975. Edna was a graduate of Northampton High School, Northampton, Massachusetts; and worked part-time at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Upon graduation in 1952, she worked for Montgomery Ward as a credit manager until 1957 when she followed her husband to various Air Force duty stations. Her greatest pleasures in life were spending time with her family and friends, reading and going to the casino with her husband. She is preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Phyllis Hestowski and Mary Jane Ryan; and two brothers, Robert Denno and Raymond Denno. Edna is survived by her husband of 65 years, George Wallace Cooke of Milton, Florida; three sons, George Cooke of Enterprise, Alabama, Gary Cooke of Milton, Florida, and Gerald Cooke of Munson, Florida; two daughters, Georgia Strickland of Pensacola, Florida, and Ginger Cowart of Jacksonville, Florida; nine grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; sister, Carol Hewes of Pensacola, Florida; and two brothers, Billy Denno of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, and Jackie Denno of Worcester, Massachusetts. A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 24, 2018, at Lewis Funeral Home, Milton Chapel, with Father Jimmy Grebe officiating. Edna will be laid to rest at Barrancas National Cemetery, onboard Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. Visitation will be held 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., prior to the service. The family wishes to thank the staffs of Atmore Community Hospital ICU, West Florida Hospital CCU unit, and a special thank you to CCU nurse Heather Merchel for the love and care given to our loved on during her time of illness. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in Edna’s name to the Shriners Hospital or St. Jude’s Research Hospital for Children. DONATIONS BY MAIL: Shriners Hospitals for Children 2900 Rocky Point Drive Tampa, Florida 33607 BY PHONE: 844-739-0849 ONLINE: https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/give/119312/#!/donation DONATIONS BY MAIL: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 38105 BY PHONE: 1-866-278-5833 ONLINE: www.stjude.org