COOK, Grace Margaret “Marg” Caroline
1943 – 2024
To challenge life and live it with enthusiasm, forgiveness, kindness, service to others, caring, and love were the hallmarks of Marg’s 80 years on this planet. She had an exceptional understanding of people and animals that was simply amazing. From an early age, she had an ability to ride any horse, and this led her to great success in breeding and training Arabs and Quarter horses at the farm - many of whom became champions. Llamas were another venture she started by being one of the first to bring them to Alberta. She was, at the same time, President of two companies: Imperial Lumber (founded by her father, Gilbert Cook), and her own hardware company, WW Arcade. Marg was one of the founding members of the Glenora Rotary Club, eventually becoming President, and receiving the Paul Harris Fellow Rotary Award for outstanding contributions to the community.
Sailing was her passion, photography including developing her own photos, and searching family ancestral records in Eastern Canada and Ireland were just some of the interests that she always had time for. Horses were her main focus, and she was a lifetime member of the Arab and Quarter Horse associations with reams of paper describing the breeding lines of her horses. Her border collies were able to help her so much on the farm and the love and connection between her and the dogs had to be seen to be believed.
She was predeceased by her parents, Gilbert and Ada Cook; and her brothers, Gilbert Jr. and Bruce; as well as her only son, Bryce Cook. She will be very much missed by the many friends, relatives, and associates who genuinely enjoyed her company and zest for life. Her loving partner and best friend for the last 30 years, Bert Murray, will remember Marg by donating to charities she loved.
Her past 8 years have been difficult since the onset of Alzheimer’s, but in her cheery way, she tried to manage the effects as best she could. We want to thank the caregivers at Eden House for their efforts in trying to make her pathway through this time as comfortable as possible.
Please feel free to donate to any charity you wish to, or simply perform an act of kindness for someone in your community who might need it, as Marg so often did!
Tell them it is in memory of a good friend. Marg would like this.
A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at Connelly-McKinley Downtown Funeral Home (10011 – 114 Street NW, Edmonton). Service will be livestreamed. Interment will follow at Edmonton Cemetery.
To view the livestream and to send condolences, please visit www.connelly-mckinley.com