By Jane Smith
BOCA RATON — Sandra L. Cook died in the arms of her son and daughter at the Manor Care Nursing Home in Delray Beach on Sept. 23.
Mrs. Cook, 68, died from complications of the rare disease cortical basal ganglion degeneration, which has symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.
She was born Sept. 12, 1945, to Lewis and Gloria Davidson in Illinois. She graduated from Miami Edison High School and married her high school sweetheart.
Her sister, Rae Fagan, said Mrs. Cook went the extra mile for those she loved. Fagan recalled a time when they were in elementary school and playing on the pump house that contained the sprinkler pumps.
“One of the kids pushed me off,” she said, causing her to lose consciousness. Her sister carried her home. “We did not live close by,” Fagan said.
Mrs. Cook loved to travel in North America, including Canada and Mexico. Her favorite place was Gatlinburg, Tenn., because of the streams and the mountains, her sister said.
Mrs. Cook bowled in Pompano Beach as a team member. Her bowling average was 130. She also loved to spend time with her grandchildren.
Diagnosed in 2007, Mrs. Cook never complained about her disease. She remained strong and decided to donate her brain for medical research at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. She hoped the research would save someone else’s life.
She is survived by her husband, Walter “Fred” Cook of Michigan; ex-husband, Benito Gordils Sr. of Fort Lauderdale; their two children, daughter Kellie (Dan) Murphy of Mount Holly, N.C., and son Ben (Karen) Gordils Jr. of Pompano Beach; grandchildren Tyler and Trevor Murphy; sister Rae (John) Fagan; nephew Shaun, brother Charles Davidson, all of Sebastian; and numerous family and friends.
A funeral service was held Oct. 5 at the Calvary Chapel branch in Boca Raton. Instead of flowers, the family suggests donations in her name to Hospice by the Sea, 1531 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486 or to CurePSP 30 E. Padonia Road, Suite 201, Timonium, MD 21093.
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