Virginia James Cook, 93, died Thursday, September 10, 2009. Funeral services will be held at the family cemetery at Cook Hill, west of Camden on Highway 10, September 12 at 2:00 PM, Rev. Joseph Knight and Rev. Jack Green officiating and Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home directing.
Born June 17, 1916 in Eufaula, Alabama, Virginia was the daughter of William Preston James and Beatrice Price James. She was married to the late Heustis Moore Cook. She graduated summa cum laude from Alabama College in Montevallo and received her MA from Birmingham Southern College.
In Camden she was an active member of Camden Baptist Church. She was a well-respected teacher of English and romance languages, and she directed many plays and choirs.
Virginia was a member of various civic and cultural clubs, and her love for writing, music, flowers, and home were known to all. Her publications include The History of the Alabama Division United Daughters of the Confederacy, The Book of Cooks, and I See Muddy’s House.
Mrs. Cook is survived by a son, James Heustis Cook (Judy) of Birmingham; a daughter, Sara Crum Blackwell (Cart) of Selma; four grandchildren, Sara Victoria Cook and Kathryn Cook Hayes (Mark) of Birmingham, Virginia Lee Blackwell of Selma, and Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III of Mobile.
She was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Marion Cook Black-well and by a sister, Sara Irby.
Pallbearers include Cart Blackwell, III, grandson; Ty Irby, Marty Irby, Miles Irby, and Tom Mason, nephews; Sonny Richards, cousin; and Danny McDonald.
Memorials may be made to Camden Baptist Church Music Ministry or to the Camden Public Library.