Ramona Benson Cooke

Ramona Benson Cooke, age 89, joined her Savior on Thursday, December 5, 2019 at Abilene Regional Medical Center.  Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 10th, at 1:30 pm. at Southwest Park Baptist Church with Mike Woodard officiating.  Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park.  Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene. 

Ramona Benson was born on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1930 in Menard, Texas to parents Roy Benson and Margaret (Bradford) Benson.  Ramona graduated from Menard High School in 1946 and Hardin Simmons University in 1950.  She married Joe Carroll Cooke on July 30, 1950.

Ramona taught at College Heights Elementary School for one year before "retiring" to become a homemaker.  She returned to teaching in 1970 and taught at Wylie Elementary School for 20 years.  

Ramona loved her family, friends and students.  Former students share that she always made them feel special.  She and Joe were members of Belmont Baptist Church, and Ramona later joined Southwest Park Baptist Church where she enjoyed her women's Sunday School class. 

Ramona enjoyed being a homemaker, as well a teacher, but her favorite role was being a grandmother and great grandmother.  Her grandchildren and great grandchildren brought her great joy. 

Ramona was preceded in death by her husband Joe Carroll Cooke; her parents Roy and Margaret Benson; granddaughter Stefanie Cooke; and her sister Lila Baron.

Ramona is survived and lovingly remembered by her sons, Roy Cooke and his wife Amy, Richard Cooke and his wife Kathy of Abilene, Randy Cooke of Lubbock and daughter Vicki Reynolds and her husband Danny of Abilene;  five grandchildren,  Jennifer Cooke, Jacob Reynolds, Jared Reynolds and his wife Laura, Brandon Cooke and his wife Haley, Britni Hicks and her husband Thomas; five great grandchildren, Caitlin Cooke, Layton, Adeli and Enzli Hicks and Benson Cooke; a sister Mildred Yates of Katy, sister Helen and husband Jake Landers of Menard, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Mark Aycock, Brandon Cooke, David Duwe, Thomas Hicks, Jacob Reynolds and Jared Reynolds. 

Memorials may be sent to the Southwest Park Baptist Church Benevolence Fund, 2901 South 20th St., Abilene, TX 79605.