Cecelia Lawrence Cook

Cecelia Lawrence Cook (Ceil) passed away Thursday, April 28, 2005. Born on June 1, 1905, she missed her 100th birthday by just a few weeks. Her life is a walk through GA history. Cecelia was born in Tifton, GA to William Lawrence from New York and Belle Willingham Lawrence of Tifton, GA. Belle was one of 17 children born to Cecelia Matilda Baynard Willingham & Thomas Henry Willingham, Sr. Belle died when Ceil was just six years old. Ceil and her brother Bill was taken in by her loving Aunt Bessie Tift and Uncle Henry Harding Tift for whom the town of Tifton and the county of Tift were named. The Tifts provided a wonderful home and life for Ceil. She grew up in her beloved Tifton in a home which is now a featured Victorian home at the Agrirama in Tifton and spent summers at the family home in Mystic, Connecticut. Ceil graduated from Bessie Tift College in Forsyth where she was president of her senior class and was active in the alumni association as long as she was able. After graduation she spent a summer in France. Ceil was a school teacher for a time and taught French. She met her future husband at Emory University in a swimming class. She was so good in the class that he asked her to be his assistant. She married John Lewis Cook, Sr. on December 20, 1930. They spent almost 60 years of marriage together prior to his death. Ceil is survived by her three adoring children, J. Lewis Cook, Jr. of Decatur, GA, Rene Ellington of Dunwoody, GA and Frances Emmons of Savannah, GA. Ceil and Lewis raised their children in Decatur GA. The two of them started a camp for the YMCA in Hiawassee, GA in the 1940s. Lewis was the camp director and Ceil was the nurse. Their son was one of the campers. They slept in tents, ate in a large dining hall and swam in a creek swimming hole. Both Lewis and Ceil loved the outdoors- gardening and raising beautiful roses. Ceil is also survived by seven adoring grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Days before her passing she had the opportunity to hold her three-week old great-granddaughter, Emily, who had arrived from California just to see her Great Maw-Maw. It is impossible to put into words the effect this wonderful woman had on so many lives. She was loving, giving and generous all her life. She had a wonderful sense of humor and could make anyone laugh. She was always eager to sew, cook, and share what she had with others. She was very active in the church and was the church secretary at Holy Trinity for over twenty years. She loved the Lord with all her heart. She made her family strong by always having them gather together. She always made family a priority and because of that her family made her a priority too.  Every year for the past eleven years the entire family has gathered with Ceil from all over the country.  The family meets on her birthday to celebrate her and the wonderful woman she is.  While she lost some of her mental capacities in her final years, she never lost her love of life, family and the Lord.  Any visit to her brought shouts of ?I Love You!? ?Hey Darling!? and hymns of praise.  Ceil was a wonderful part of the Georgia community for 100 years.  Her presence made a difference in this world.  She will be missed by all.  The family will have visitation from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Saturday at A. S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home in Decatur.  The funeral will be held at 3:00 P.M. Sunday, May 1st at Holy Trinity Church in Decatur with Father William T. Deneke officiating. Interment will follow at Decatur Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Holy Trinity Parish, 515 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA  30030 or Briarwood Nursing Center, Activities Fund, 3888 LaVista Road, Tucker, GA 30084.  A. S. Turner & Sons