Betty Pickett Cook

COOK Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com Mrs. Betty Pickett Cook of Callahan, Fl., passed away at her home on Tuesday November 12, 2013. Born in Jacksonville, Fl., she was the daughter of the late Henry E. and Georgiana Burgess Pickett. She and her two brothers George Cecil and Henry and her three sisters Margaret, Shirley and Emily were reared in Nassau County. She graduated from Callahan High School in 1944. Following graduation, she enrolled in St. Vincents School of Nursing in Jacksonville, Fl. In 1947 she graduated with her nursing degree and joined the Nassau County Health Department. She soon moved to the position of Nursing Supervisor and then was promoted to the Director of Nursing for the health department. As Director of Nursing, she developed Nassau County's first medical indigence plan that was later adopted by many other County Health Departments in the State of Florida. In 1955 she married William K. Cook of Callahan and they had two sons, Bill and Bob Cook. In 1979, Mrs. Cook retired from the Nassau County Health Department after serving with the department for over thirty years. She loved traveling, cooking and spending time with her family. She was a wonderful mother to her two sons. When the grandchildren came along, there was never a dull moment with their beloved Bebe as she was called by them and she spent as much time as she could with her grandchildren. Those days were filled with wonderful memories that will always be cherished. Mrs. Cook loved Nassau County and became very active in the community. In 1979 following only three weeks of retirement from her position with the health department she began her many firsts in her life by accepting an appointment as the first woman administrator for Nassau County. She later continued her firsts by being appointed by the Governor to the Board of Trustees at Florida State College at Jacksonville where she was the first woman appointee from Nassau County and later was the first woman to be elected Chairman of the Board. Mrs. Cook served on many other boards including the Baptist Health System Foundation Board of Trustees and the Florida State College at Jacksonville Foundation. She also served on the University of North Florida College Health Deans Council and on The Gateway Council of Girl Scouts. She was an active member of both The Greater Nassau Chamber of Commerce and The Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce. She enjoyed playing golf and was a member and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Jacksonville Woman's Golf Association. She carried on her family legacy by being a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and she and her husband are longtime members of the First Baptist Church of Callahan. Of all of her accomplishments she was the most proud of was for she and her husband William to grant the land for the building of the Betty P. Cook Nassau Center at Yulee. At the opening ceremony she was proud to state that This is a great day for Nassau County. Mrs. Betty P. Cook was a genuine southern lady that displayed her grace and love toward others every day of her life. She will be missed by her family and her grandchildren will forever love and miss their Bebe. She will always be in their hearts. Mrs. Cook was preceded in death by her brothers and sister in law George Cecil Pickett (Dorothy) and Henry Pickett, and her sisters and brothers in law, Margaret Burgess Oxley (Mac), Shirley Pickett Shave (Leighton) and Emily Pickett Lewellen (Reed). She leaves behind her husband William K. Cook of Callahan, her son William K. Cook, Jr. of Atlanta, Ga., and her son and daughter in law Robert P. Cook (Michele) of Jacksonville, Fl., her grandchildren William Burgess Cook, Robert Patterson Cook, Jr. and Caroline Michele Cook. All are welcome to join the family beginning at 4:00 pm on Friday at the Oxley Heard Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Callahan with Dr. Lynn Hyatt, officiating. Serving as pallbearers will be: William B. Cook, Robert P. Cook Jr., James M. Coleman, Jr., Charles R. Raulerson Jr., Henry C. Terwilliger, Anthony C. Peterson, Donald G. Miller and Leighton C. Shave Jr. Mrs. Cook will be laid to rest in Live Oak Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Florida State College at Jacksonville Foundation, 505 State Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. OXLEY HEARD FUNERAL DIRECTORS