Verna S. Cook

Cook

Verna S. Cook Ph.D

Of Silver Spring, MD, departed peacefully on August 21, 2022, at 92. Beloved mother of Kathleen A. Cook and Linda C. Slaughter, and grandmother of David Cook, Yolanda Slaughter, and John Slaughter, IV. Also survived by sisters Earlene Sesler, Veronica Pinder Williams (Nathaniel), and Dorothy Pinder Johnson (Alfred), and brothers Henry Pinder (Daisy) and Leon Pinder (Essie), and a host of other family and friends.

She began her career as a registered nurse, eventually joining the School of Nursing teaching faculties of Georgetown University and Catholic University of America. Leaving nursing, she taught at Federal City College and Strayer College, then worked 24 years at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services before retiring.

For many years, she was national president of Black Women in Sisterhood for Action—BISA—a non-profit scholarship organization supporting young Black undergraduate women.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, September 9, in the chapel at The Village at Rockville, 9701 Veirs Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850. Masks are required. Visitation at 12:30 p.m. Service at 1 pm. Interment immediately following at Parklawn Memorial Park, 12800 Veirs Mill Rd., Rockville, MD, 20853. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Bethune-Cookman University for the BISA Endowed Scholarship. ATTN: Institutional Advancement, Bethune-Cookman University, 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.