Bernice Cook of Monroe, Washington passed away Tuesday, August 26th, 2014 at the age of 90.

Bernice was born January 15, 1924 in Alborn, Minnesota, to Swedish immigrants John and Alma Peterson. She is survived by her daughter Connie (Jay W.) Goss of Monroe; grandchildren Sarah and Steven Goss; niece Lynda (Philip) Bryson of Longmont, Colorado; and grandniece Kim Delich and her two children Grayson and Annie of Des Moines, Washington. She is predeceased by her beloved husband of 55 years, Robert (Bob) Neil Cook; sisters Edythe Cook and Esther Schneid; and brothers Leonard, Haley, and Kenneth Peterson.

In 1929, Bernice’s family moved from Minnesota to Parkland, Washington where she graduated from Lincoln High School in 1942. In 1945, she and Bob were married and moved to Seattle, where she worked as a secretary for the Boeing Company, and later as an escrow officer for a real estate firm. She became one of the first two women in Seattle to earn a real estate broker’s license.

In 1964, she moved to Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter. There she was active in leading Brownies and Girl Scouts, and also volunteered for the Head Start program. As Bob’s career with U.S. Steel advanced, they moved again in 1970 to Alamo, California. Upon his retirement in 1978, they moved for one last time to build their dream home at Sunland Golf Club in Sequim. After Bob passed away in March 2000, she spent her last years living with her daughter Connie and son-in-law Jay and their children in Monroe.

Bernice had a natural gift for music, including true perfect pitch, which manifested itself quite early. As a child she played accordion so well she was once invited to perform on a Tacoma radio station. Anyone who heard her play the piano will remember her sophisticated touch and rare talent for improvisation, as well as her mastery of Chopin and Rachmaninov. She was also talented in sewing and arts and crafts; she loved to refinish furniture, collected antiques, loved classical music, poetry, and traveling with Bob.

Bernice's good-natured sense of humor endeared her to everyone and brought smiles wherever she went. She will be much missed by her family, friends, and community acquaintances.