| Graduation Year | Class of 1937 |
| Date of Passing | Jan 23, 2011 |
| About | Rita Louise (Barlow) Cook Rita Louise (Barlow) Cook crossed the bar peacefully in Petaluma, CA on January 23, 2011 at the age of 91, her family at her side. Louise was born in Pocasset (Cape Cod) MA in 1919 to Franklin and Rita Barlow. Louise was a descendant of a long line of Barlow sea captains who sailed coastal schooners and for whom the Barlow Town section of Pocasset was named. She and her sister were the Barlow girls. Louise went to grade school in a one-room schoolhouse in Cataumet. She graduated from Bourne High, 3rd in her class and was class historian, which she recorded in rhyme. She and one other student were the only two in their 3rd & 4th year Latin class. After graduating from high school, she took classes and became a Certified Nurses Aid. She took care of infants initially and later did private elder care. Louise married her high school sweetheart, Stanley E. Cook, in 1942, a marriage of 66 years. They settled in the Red House on Barlows Landing Road and raised four children. Louise was the quintessential homemaker. She was a seamstress and made all her childrens clothing. She was a great cook. Cake, cookies, and pies were her specialty. All the neighborhood kids remember the aroma and taste of Mrs. Cooks chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven. Louise also did knitting, crocheting, and a fine needlepoint called bargello. She always had a project going and made a number of intricate tapestries. She loved the out-of-doors and enjoyed gardening, swimming and walking, even into her mid-80s. Louise was always eager to learn something new. In her 70s, she learned to play the dulcimer. She also had a sense of adventure. At 78, she wanted to go horseback riding, and she did. She felt it was important to help others in need, a value she instilled in her children, and was involved in church and community activities. She was an avid reader and earned a little money writing a column for the Cape Cod Times. In the late 1960s, with their children mostly raised, she and her husband took up sailing. They joined the Power Squadron and cruised up and down Buzzards Bay, Marthas Vineyard, and Nantucket in the Sea Witch. They also became backyard bird watchers. In 1982, they moved to California. They built a house on a hill overlooking Clear Lake in Northern California and did lake sailing. They bought a camping trailer and took road trips to many of our National parks and back to the Cape. They also traveled Hawaii and Puerto Vallarta. After 16 years, they moved to Petaluma, CA to be closer to their children and granddaughter. Louise was grateful she had been blessed with a great family. She was much loved and will be deeply missed. Her husband predeceased her by two years. |
