Frances (Sigurdson) Cook

Frances was born in Princeton, British Columbia, Canada to Olga & John Sigurdson. From the time she was 5 years old, she lived in Seattle with her parents and her sister, Thelma, later to be joined by their little brother, Arthur. She attended Ballard High School and remained friends with some of her classmates to the end of her life. She met Gilbert “Gil” Cook when she was teaching dance at a studio in Downtown Seattle. He was preparing to enter the “dating scene” after serving in the Navy, but he never got past the Dance Teacher. They married in 1947.

Gil & Fran lived in Seattle for a few years where Gil earned his Business Degree from the University of Washington, and began working for the Bemis Bag Company. After a short stint in Walla Walla, they settled in Portland, Oregon. They raised their 3 daughters in the Eastmoreland neighborhood, and their years were filled with school activities, camping trips, athletics, and etcetera. Fran was a racquet sport aficionado and played lots of Badminton, Tennis, and Squash during those years.

Later, when Gil’s job took them to Minneapolis, Minnesota she continued to enjoy Tennis and Racquetball, and she made many new friends. She also started selling real estate, and when she and Gil returned to Seattle after his retirement, she began working for Windermere. They enjoyed some good years of Home and Travel before his death in 2004. Much as she grieved Gil’s death, she continued a very active social and athletic life. She had an address book that listed “Relatives”, “Neighbors”, “Pilates”, “Pickleball”, “Tennis”, “Ballard High”, and “Bemis”—in addition to her alphabetized Address Book.

As she aged, Mom had to adapt to decreasing mobility, and increasing pain. She did it uncomplainingly, because she wanted to stay in her own home and continue to be good company for her Friends. Thanks to the aid of her Family & Friends and her beloved helper, Kenneth Wilkenson, she was able to make it work right up until the last 6 weeks when things started to spiral downward and she finally had to exit the stage. Great job, Fran! We love you and we’ll miss you forever!

Fran is survived by her daughters, Layne (Jed) Cook Johnson, Barbara Cook, & Connie (Bill) Cook Carlson, and by her grandchildren, Tara & Reid Smith.

We will be celebrating Fran’s life with an event in mid-June. If you would like to attend & think you may not be in her Address Book, please e-mail laynecook@comcast.net or call (206) 819-9740.

To share your fond memories of Fran and condolences with her Family, please visit her special Tribute Wall, above.