Polly Lassiter Cook

About

Lake Wales High School Florida State University University of Miami

Polly Cook Obituary

POLLY LASSITER
COOK, 76

LAKE WALES - Polly Lassiter Cook, 76, passed away Monday, January 12, 2009 at the Lake Wales Medical Center after a long illness with heart failure.
A memorial celebration of Polly's life will be held 3:00 PM, Sunday, January 18, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church, Lake Wales. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall for friends to gather.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William F. Cook. After their retirement in 1999, they moved from Miami to Lake Wales.
Polly Cook was a member of a pioneer family of Lake Wales, Florida. She was born April 4, 1932 to Robert Edward and Pearl Nelson Lassiter. She graduated from Lake Wales High School in 1950 and from Florida State University in 1954.
After graduation she served in the Little Rock, Arkansas Methodist Conference in Rural Work and Christian Education. She was a mission interpreter on Southeastern College Campuses. Following this, Polly spent 4 years in Perry, Florida and other areas of the Tallahassee District doing church and community work. She served as Director of the Wesleyan Student House at the University of Miami for 20 years. Also, she led many Spiritual Life Weekends, taught in mission schools, worked with Youth Ministries and United Methodist Women. Polly has had various local, district, conference and national responsibilities. She had a passion for environmental justice issues.
Polly was devoted to the work of Jesus Christ through the United Methodist Church especially the United Methodist Women of the Lake Wales First United Methodist Church.
Survivors are sisters-in-law, Virginia and Carol Lassiter of Lake Wales, brother-in-law, Truman Terry of Union City, Georgia, 14 nieces and nephews, Ed Lassiter, III of Lake Wales, Florida, Sallie Schroeder of Snellville, Georgia, Jane Wood and Barbara Cromley of Brooklet, Georgia, George Terry of Champaign, Illinois, Katy Terry of Watkinsville, Georgia, Robert Terry of Duluth, Georgia, Finley Watts, Jr. of Laurel, Maryland, Elizabeth Keating of Charlotte, North Carolina, Richard Watts of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Charles Watts of Middle Town, Maryland, Deborah Pullen of Tallahassee, Florida, Margaret Lassiter of Lake Wales, Florida, Alan Lassiter of Winter Haven, Florida, and many caring friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Florida United Methodist Children's Home, Post Office Box 6299, Deltona, Florida 32728-6299 or Women's Division, General Board of Global Ministries of United Methodist Church, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York 10017. Condolences may be sent the family at
www.marionnelsonfuneralhome.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Ledger on Jan. 13, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Polly Cook

10 Entries

Leora Hatch

January 8, 2010

Polly was the best--friend, mentor, teacher. The lives she touched must be counted in the thousands or more. I am so thankful to have known her..she certainly changed my life and I am thankful to have had a visit with her not long before she left us. She was the same as always, thinking of others and their lives. I will always miss her phone call on my birthday. We loved you Polly!

Jennie (Lang) Moore

February 5, 2009

I am so thankful to have met Polly Cook at Bryan Memorial UMC in Miami, Florida. As a young lady in my early 20's, stepping into adulthood, I was fortunate to be surrounded by many great, Godly, older women, sharing their faith and their lives with me. Polly was certainly high on that list. Her love for God, His Word and the lives of women all around the world was very evident to me. While my involvement in the United Methodist Women in later years would be centered more around social activities and events, the focus of the UMW for Polly and the women of Bryan Mem. UMC was truly missions minded! Polly and her husband Bill were very gracious to me, inviting me often to their home and driving me many places before I owned my first car. My life has been greatly blessed and my love for women and the truth of God's Word greatly impacted by this wonderful gift of God in my life. I am thankful for the family in Christ who have helped me stay in touch with many members of that congregation in the 20 years since I left Florida to return to my hometown in DE. I will treasure the phone call I made to Polly in April 2008 when I was able to tell her many of these things myself. There is a tie that binds our hearts in Christian love and I share with all who have signed this guest book a great love for Polly!

Amy Orzalli Dwyer

February 1, 2009

What a special lady Polly was. She was an inspiration to so many. When I finished college at UM and didn't really know what I should do next she said - "Why don't you come work at the Wesley Foundation as a US-2?" What a gift to have had that experience and to be part of that community! I appreciate reading the messages of others. Hearing Polly on the phone on our birthdays was a special treat! I am sure her life changed mine for the better. She always said that at her funeral she wanted to have a really good preacher give the sermon! It was never about her, it was always about the faith that sustained her and others. We will miss you Polly and hope that we can live up to your high standards. With much love....

Lucille Bates

January 18, 2009

Celebrating a life well lived. We will cherish the memories forever.

Ressie Mae Bass

January 18, 2009

I thank God for Polly Lassiter Cook, for your life, for your witness to your faith, for your friendship and for all the great times we shared. The many trips in your Volkswagon up US #27 going to Lakeland, Florida on behalf of UNITED METHODIST WOMEN and other church commitments. When we went on these trips you always called me and said "Ressie Root" this is Polly, just calling to let you know I'm on my way and, if the Lord's willing and the creek don't rise, I'm coming get ya." After which we had a good laugh. As Director of United Methodist Campus Ministry at the Wesley Foundation, University of Miami, you made sure that the students who were not able to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas had a delicious Turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. Preparing all those turkeys was a lot of work but you made it great fun! You were always busy taking care of the needs of others and leaving yourself at the bottom of the list. You were a very special saint and a great friend.

I am glad and thankful that our paths crossed! I love you and will miss you terribly especially your call on my birthday for 40 years, telling me you are glad I was born. To God, be the glory for all that you have done and for all you meant to me.

Linda Byrd

January 17, 2009

I rejoice that Polly is at home with God, but am sad that I will not have the pleasure of her company at lunch at Garfield's anymore. There are not enough superlatives to describe the influence Polly had on my life and the lives of many others. I first knew Polly as my Sunday School teacher at Bryan Memorial Methodist Church in Coconut Grove, Fl, when I was going through a very bad time in my life. How are you in your heart, really is the question with which we started our class. She lifted me up, and made me feel special, as was Polly's trademark. I will miss the birthday call from Polly saying her calendar says that today I was born into the world to make it a better place! What a wonderful thing to say! Polly, I will miss you!

Galen Hora

January 16, 2009

Polly was a wonderful colleague in campus ministry. When I came to the University of Miami in 1970 as the new Lutheran campus pastor, she took us "homeless Lutherans" in and gave us a place for worship, an office, and most significantly, a huge portion of hospitality. Her ministry blessed many lives. May she always be remembered as a "friend of Jesus."

cherie ortman

January 14, 2009

To all who knew and loved Polly: group hug! Wow. What a circle of folks she has touched with her special brand of charm and dynamic style of conversation. I love how she used to say: "Make that make sense. Play like I'm a Martian and I don't know about Jesus and faith and God." She was a mentor and inspiration to my husband and I in college days, and a wise and cheerful elderly friend to the end. I am so thankful to have seen her for a surprise visit last June. All in our family know her voice on the phone saying: "I'm glad you were born!" Polly, we're glad you were born and will continue to live and live, as we ask the great questions you did, even the hard ones. Love you and thank you.
Cherie (and Don) Ortman
Hartford SD

Allie Leitzel

January 14, 2009

When I think of Polly Cook, I always hear her saying, "How are you REALLY?" Polly served as an inspiration and a guide through my four years involvement at the University of Miami Lutheran/Methodist campus ministry, 1974-1978. I am only one of many, many students who grew in faith and life by knowing Polly. I give God thanks for her life and her witness. as Polly would say at one's birthday: Polly, "I celebrate that you were born".
Pr Allie Leitzel
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
825 Forest Avenue
Jamestown, NY 14701

Tacy Alfonso

January 13, 2009

I will miss you fair lady. You have helped me along the way many times and I am grateful to you. You will be missed by me and everyone at the Crazy Cuban Cafe.
We love you.

Showing 1 - 10 of 10 results