Mary Cook Obituary

Mary Lucile Meehan was born on January 5, 1934, in Palestine, Texas and passed from this life on July 29, 2025 at her home in Whitehouse, Texas at 91 years of age with her loving husband of 70 years, Charles Cook, and her family at her side. The youngest daughter of Thomas and Vada Kelley Meehan, Lucile grew up in Kingsville, Texas and worked her way through her first three years of college at Texas A & I University (Texas A & M - Kingsville).

Her greatest passion was raising her 14 children and she worked tirelessly for her family. Over the years, she made 10 houses across the country into homes, settling in Whitehouse in 1974.

Lucile was a lifelong reader and learner who valued education and encouraged her children in their academic endeavors. Even with all of her children attending Catholic schools, she volunteered to teach CCD classes weekly. Only after her youngest child entered preschool did she return to school and complete her Bachelor’s degree with high honors in Education, Speech and English from the University of Texas at Tyler. Lucile loved kids and taught English and Theology at Bishop T.K. Gorman. She also treasured her time teaching alongside her son at All Saints Episcopal School until her retirement.

Lucile was a founding member of the Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Whitehouse, where she served many years in all ministries of the parish including Religious Education teacher, St.Vincent de Paul ministries, sacristan, and volunteering in the church office until she was 84.  

She is preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Lois McCullar and Claire Lauber, and children Mary Claire Cook, Mark Sullivan Cook, and Thomas Gerard Cook. Surviving children are Christopher (Laura), Ruth, Timothy (Louise), Peter, Sophia Martha, Margaret Diano (Lito), Charles (Sharon), Raymond (Darla), Anne Stanford (Mark), Ellen Sacco (Michael), and Danielle Noonan (Chris) and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral mass is planned for Saturday, August 2, at 11:00am, at the Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Whitehouse, Texas. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the St. Vincent De Paul Society. Private graveside services will be on Monday at St. Joseph Cemetery in Palestine.