- Date Of Birth: January 16, 1946
- Date Of Death: February 7, 2022
- State: Virginia
Wilma O. Cook, of Alexandria, VA, passed into eternal life on Monday, February 7, 2022 at the age of 76 after a brave two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Born Wilma Margrethe Olsson on January 16, 1946 in Rochester, PA, she was the daughter of the late John Bert Olsson and Viola (Andersen) Olsson.
Wilma – or “Willie”, as her family and friends knew her – grew up in Beaver, PA and graduated from Beaver Area High School in 1963 before earning her B.A. in Sociology from Thiel College. She then went on to start a career in social work, providing therapy and support for children and their families. A proud feminist and progressive, Wilma helped to co-found the Beaver County chapter of the National Organization of Women. She married in 1968 and had two sons over the course of the next several years. During that time, Wilma was a devoted stay-at-home mother, helping her sons pursue their various academic and sporting passions, while also serving on the Zelienople, PA Chamber of Commerce and helping to organize the annual Zelienople and Harmony Horse Trading Days festivals. Following her divorce, she worked in interior design for several years before returning to social work, where she provided support to children with autism and their families.
She leaves behind to cherish her memory two sons, Joshua Andrew Cook (Cathy), and Benjamin Tyler Cook (Kristy); two grandsons, Jonah Merritt Cook and Samuel “Sammy” Tyler Cook; her older brother, Jons Olsson (Ann); and her nephew, John Steven Olsson.
