Ann Cook

Ann Marie Cook
August 31, 1936 – October 3, 2013

Ann Marie Ball Cook passed away in her home Thursday, October 3, 2013 with her family at her bedside. She succumbed to cancer after a ten year battle handled with grace, dignity and a sense of humor.

A time for family to receive friends will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. with funeral services following at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2013 at Hillier Funeral Home in Bryan, Texas with Monsignor John Malinowski officiating.  Graveside services will be at Cold Spring Cemetery in Garrison, Texas at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, October 7, 2013.

Ann was born on August 31, 1936 in Mombasa, Kenya, British East Africa. She was the daughter of Marjorie P. Ball of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and C.W. Ball of Clinton, Louisiana.

Mr. Ball was an engineer with Caltex Petroleum Company. His job took the Ball family to many locations overseas. They were transferred to Bombay, India in 1937 and resided in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) from 1939 – 1942. American women and children were evacuated from foreign locales when WWII began. The Ball family lived in New York City from 1942 – 1946. They were transferred to Shanghai, China in 1946. Ann and her sister attended Shanghai American School from 1946 – 1948. American women and children were evacuated to the USA due to the changes in Chinese government in 1948. Mrs. Ball and her daughters lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the girls attended St. Joseph’s Academy. In 1950, Mr. Ball was transferred to Manila, Philippines and the family followed. In late summer 1950, Mrs. Ball and her daughters faced evacuation again as a result of political unrest. They returned to Baton Rouge where Ann and her sister finished high school at St. Joseph’s Academy. Ann attended the diploma nursing program at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital graduating third in her class as a registered nurse in 1957.

Ann met her husband, Bob Cook, on August 23, 1959. He proposed to her after knowing her for two weeks. They were married three months later on November 28, 1959. Mr. Cook was with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and they were transferred several times during their 45 years of marriage. They were transferred to Hammond, Indiana (where their daughter Barbie was born); Laredo, Texas (where their daughters Ellen and Karen were born); McAllen, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Anchorage, Alaska; Harlingen, Texas; Hong Kong, China and Dallas, Texas. During the course of these transfers, Ann worked as an OR, PACU and CCU nurse in various hospitals and was a relief nurse in the Health Unit at the American Consulate in Hong Kong. After Bob’s retirement in 1986, they lived in Garrison, Texas for ten years before moving to College Station, Texas in 1996. Ann worked in the operating room and recovery room at Nacogdoches Medical Center, retiring in 1992.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Marjorie P. and C.W. Ball and her husband, Bob Cook. Ann is survived by three daughters and their husbands, Barbie and John Campbell of College Station, TX, Karen and Jerry Mooman of Douglass, TX, and Ellen and Darrell Blackwell of Crockett, TX; son-in-law, Ernie Balares and his wife, Francis of Garrison, TX; brother-in-law, Neil C. “Rusty” Cook and his wife, Lillian of Garrison, TX; sister, Eleanor Bertrand of Baton Rouge, LA; eight grandchildren, Andy Balares, Shaun Balares and his wife, Hillary, Kelley Mooman, Matthew Mooman, Marjorie Campbell, Shane Campbell, Brandon Balares and Erika Balares plus numerous nephews and nieces.

The family would like to thank Dr. Linda Price, Dr. Chuck Peirce, Dr. John Mason, Dr. Emad Hanna and Dr. James Bonds for their wonderful, compassionate care of Ann.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Brazos Valley, Twin City Mission or the American Cancer Society.

Memories and tributes to Ann can be made at www.hillierfuneralhome.com