Obituaries

Thelma Vernelle Cook

Photo of Thelma Vernelle Cook
Thelma Vernelle Cook, 77, of Jefferson City and St. Louis, passed away Monday, May 16, 2016, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. She was born April 29, 1939, in Bronx, New York, the daughter of the late Leonard Reece and Thelma Vernelle (Fife) Upperman. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a Minor in Psychology from North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina. She then earned her Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. Thelma received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Missouri. She was united in marriage on September 9, 1961, in Jamaica, New York, to Nathan Howard Cook, who resides in Jefferson City and St. Louis. Thelma spent decades in the St. Louis region and elsewhere advocating for broadening educational opportunities and increasing access to cultural institutions. She came to St. Louis from Jefferson City in the mid-1980's to administer the national minority and public affairs programs of The Seven-Up Co. She moved from there to Anheuser-Busch Cos., serving as executive assistant to the vice president of corporate affairs and director of corporate community relations. She also had worked as the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Thelma was a member of the Center of Performing Arts (COPA), St. Louis; Girls, Inc.; Chairwoman of Board of Regents - Harris-Stowe State University; former Chair of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District, St. Louis; Advisory Board for Mathews-Dickey Boys' and Girls' Club; former board member of the St. Louis Art Museum; former board member of Dance St. Louis; former board member of Monsanto YMCA; former board member of Missouri Arts Council; former board member of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina; former Central Area Representative to the Links Foundation, Inc.; and current President of the St. Louis Smart Set. She received two presidential commendations for services to youth from the Department of Education; the first Outstanding Female Executive of the Year from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; 100 Best and Brightest Black Women for the Year from Ebony Magazine; Induction into the Hall of Fame from the Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs; Outstanding Service Award from the National Alliance of Business; and Women of Achievement of St. Louis, Missouri. One of her other passions was animals. She fed this passion by becoming a board member of the Friends Council of the Humane Society, where she volunteered countless hours supporting the needs of sheltered animals in the St. Louis community. Thelma was a member and Deaconess of Second Baptist Church in Jefferson City, and a Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Thelma enjoyed movies, world travels, art, music, social dancing, dogs, visual and performing arts, reading, and was a food and wine connoisseur. Survivors include her husband, Nathan Cook; two daughters, Carlene Y. Cook, Maryland Heights, Missouri, and Erika Y. (Carl) Aaron, Atlanta, Georgia; two grandchildren, Carl Lamont Aaron, Jr. and Christian Lathan Aaron; and one sister, Carolyn Beatrice (Edwin) Clark, Lexington, Kentucky. She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Claferteen C. Farrow, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; one nephew, Gary Randall (Tanya) Clark; one niece, Kimberly Cherie (David) Robinson; a grand-niece, Brittany Cherie Robinson; five great-nephews, Randall Channing Clark, Justin Michael Clark, Miles Evan Clark, Cameron Nathaniel (Chassidy) Robinson; David Edwin Robinson; one great-grand-nephew, Cameron Nathaniel Robinson Jr.; and a host of friends all over the country. She was preceded in death by her parents. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Monday, May 23, 2016, at Second Baptist Church in Jefferson City. A Delta Omega, Omega Service will be held at 12:30 p.m. Monday at the church. Funeral service will be 1 p.m., Monday, May 23, 2016, at Second Baptist Church, 501 Monroe Street, Jefferson City, Missouri with the Rev. Cornell C. Sudduth Sr. officiating. Burial will be in Hawthorn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Humane Society of Missouri or to the St. Louis Art Museum. Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website.

Published May 22, 2016