Merleen K. (Eakes) Cook, 72, of Defiance, entered into god's eternal care, Saturday morning, March 11, 2017 at CHP Defiance Inpatient Hospice Center.
She was born in Toledo on Mach 4, 1945 to the late Leona and J.B. (Bill) Eakes. She graduated from Sylvania High School in 1963 where she was a cheerleader and on the Speech team.
She first worked for Columbia Gas Company for many years. She married Marti Felker in 1965 and they had two children, Mark and Michele. She moved to Chicago and worked in sales for Hamilton Avnet Electronics and Pioneer Electronics.
Later she married Bob Runkle and moved to Ft Scott, Kansas to help take care of her mother-in-law. She worked for Mercy Hospital and because of her love for cooking and out of doors, she and her husband got a job managing Boicourt Hunt Club. She returned home to Toledo and got a job with Gross Electric where she worked her way up to showroom manager, Toledo and Findlay, Ohio.
Since the passing of her husband, she had thought she would be alone but God had other plans, He put a man in her path by the name of Dan Cook, a Pastor and they married 6 weeks after they met. They both feel it was God's intervention that put them in the same place that first night. After moving to Defiance she continued to travel to Toledo and then Findlay to work for Gross Electric but after 3 years of commuting she found a job with Menards a new store in Defiance and worked as contractor sales. She left there after almost 5 years and retired for a year. Because of finances she went back to work at Elder Beerman in sales and cash office. She and her husband managed Retirement Communities across the Midwest
She was preceded in death by her mother and father and her beloved son Mark. She is survived by her husband Dan Cook and daughter Michele (Scott) Salmon. She is also survived by her sister Judy (Rick) Lepiarz. She has a granddaughter Katie Felker, Mark's daughter and a granddaughter Brittney Salmon (serving in the Navy) grandsons David and Jacob Salmon.
She loved her step children Bill (Melita) Cook and Dan Cook and grandchildren Joey and Alisa Cook, Daniel and Monica.
She was a member of the Defiance Church of the Nazarene. She loved to cook and bake and was always willing to help with dinners and loved the fellowship of her church.
Visitation is 2-4 and 6-8 Tuesday and Wednesday at the Church of the Nazarene, 1656 S. Jefferson Ave. Defiance.
Services are 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at the Church of the Nazarene.
Suggested memorials are to the Church of the Nazarene. Online condolences may be shared at www.lawsonroessner.com
Condolences may be shared at www.lawsonroessner.com
Visitation
MAR
14.
6:00 AM (EDT)
Church of the Nazaren
1656 S. Jefferson Ave.
Defiance, OH, 43512
Visitation
MAR
14.
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (EDT)
Church of the Nazaren
1656 S. Jefferson Ave.
Defiance, OH, 43512
Visitation
MAR
15.
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (EDT)
Church of the Nazarene
1656 S. Jefferson Ave.
Defiance, OH, 43512
Service
MAR
15.
11:00 AM (EDT)
Church of the Nazarene
1656 S. Jefferson Ave.
Defiance, OH, 43512
