Ouachita County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....Cook, Mary Ann March 10, 1923 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Lora Peppers loradpeppers@hotmail.com January 25, 2010, 11:37 pm The News Star March 12, 1923 Page 3, Column 4 MARY A. COOK Mary A. Cook, (colored) aged 67 years, died at her home, corner Texas and South Ninth street Saturday morning at 12 o'clock, following a two months' illness. Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at Zion Hill Baptist church with Rev. H.R. Flynn conducting the service. Mary Cook's death marks the passing of one of Monroe's faithful and reliable colored residents. She has been a resident of this city since the age of four and in that time established a splendid record for herself. For 53 years she taught in the colored schools and was president of the Tenth District Baptist Association at the time of her death. Three children survive. Additional Comments: Mary was the daughter of John Toran and married James A. Cook December 12, 1878. They had four children: Robert, Arthur, Bertha and a child which died young. Her school was the first school in Ouachita Parish to have integration, as noted in the St. Bernard Voice newspaper, December 19, 1908. Two white Italian children were attending her school with her "negro pupils". She was a woman ahead of her time! File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/ouachita/obits/c/cook689nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/lafiles/ File size: 1.8 Kb