of Mission Viejo, CA

April 23, 2015

Mary Elizabeth Crook was born in Parkin, Arkansas on March 14th, 1936. She entered Heaven's gates on April 23, 2015. A consummate mother and homemaker, Mary Elizabeth was an excellent cook and enjoyed preparing meals for her very fortunate family and friends. She shared her love and mastery of southern cooking at home, at church, and in a variety of venues. She applied her talents professionally, as the Food Service Director for the Earle, AR and Mountain Home, AR School systems, at Nettie's Cafeteria, and in a private catering business she owned with her dear friend, Doris McKnight. She compiled her and her friends' recipes and penned her own cookbook, "Sharing My Best,'' for which two
editions were published. Her friends called her talented. She had an ability to create something from nothing, and achieve amazing results, an attribute of which she was proud. Her creativity was expressed at the Earle Flower Shop which she owned for several years. Mary Elizabeth was also athletic. At Parkin High, she was an All‐State basketball player. A professional ladies' team called the All American Red Heads attempted to recruit her, but she had other plans. She was united in marriage to Charles White Crook on April 24, 1954. They were married for almost 58 years, when death did them part with his passing January 15, 2012. Their love letters, secret to them only until their passing, show the love that began and continued those many years. That culmination was exemplified in the manner in which she cared for him during his terminal illness and eventual passing. She remained by his side, never faltering. Mary Elizabeth had an unwavering faith in God. She loved God and she loved her family. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Earle, Arkansas. Over the years, she was very involved with the church and assisted with numerous fundraising events, was a Sunday school teacher and a devoted choir member. She encouraged her children to love God there, in her church home. When she moved away from Earle, there was no other place that could fill her heart like that church did for so
many years. She was preceded in her death by her parents, Lonnie Kinsey and Mary Ruth Barnett; and all of her siblings, Edward (Ceford), Lonnie ''Junior'', Dallas, and Vera. She is survived by her children, Allen (Sharon) Crook of Mountain Home, AR, Neil (Teresa) Crook of Oklahoma City, OK, and June (Lott) Mason of San Clemente, CA; grand‐children Ashley (Michael) Berkshire of Little Rock, AR, Jason Crook of Mountain Home, AR, Garrett and Aubrey Crook of Oklahoma City, OK, Adriane (Jeremy) Smith of Wynne, AR, Kelly Crook of Lansing, Michigan, Mary Haden and Miles Mason of San Clemente, CA; and greatgrandchildren, Andrew, Marcus and Alexis. A memorial service in celebration of the life of Mary Elizabeth Crook will be held on Saturday, May 9th
at 2:00 PM at Earle First United Methodist Church. Memorials may be made in her name to the Earle United Methodist Church or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org).

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