Barbara Cook

Barbara Cook, 77, of Dubuque, passed away Thursday, March 7, 2024, at Hawkeye Care Center.
Visitation will be from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Rd., Dubuque, where there will be a Memorial Service held at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Click here to view the Memorial Service for Barbara Cook.
Barbara was born February 2, 1947 in Dubuque, the daughter of Elmer and Hattie (Schmid) Riniker and grew up in Durango.
When her three boys were very young, Barbara ran an in-home daycare while living in Idaho. After returning to Dubuque, Barbara went on to earn her BA in Special Education from the University of Dubuque. She taught special education and worked at ARC. Her clients were very special to her, and she maintained relationships with many of them even after she left the field.
Barbara's second career was real estate, along with her second husband Ken, she worked in realty in the Dubuque area for over 20 years.
Barbara enjoyed traveling to Arizona in the winter, and was a fantastic hostess. She loved riding her horse, Spirit, and enjoyed taking her grandkids to feed him apples and carrots. Barbara lived to be a grandmother, and was the best grandma possible.
Barbara was an amazing and prolific gardener. No job was too big for her, including hand digging her own pond. Creating beautiful gardens wherever she lived was a passion.
Barbara is survived by her three sons, Parrish (Jennifer) Cluff, of Phoenix, AZ, Jason (Donna) Cluff, of Dubuque, and Brian Cluff, of Dubuque; her step-daughter, Tanya (Marty) Maiers, of Dubuque; her step-son, Tom (Heather) Cook, of Las Vegas, NV; her grandchildren, Lana and Shayna, Jordan and Adam, and Tanner and Tate; two sisters, Donna (Don) Schiers, of Colorado, and Kathy Keil, of Georgia; and her former husband, Ken Cook, of Dubuque.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister in infancy, Judith Ann Riniker; and her brother-in-law, Ken Keil.