Ethel Leona (Barnes) Cook, daughter of Wallace Dale and Ethel Leona (Cartmill) Barnes, was born on December 19, 1924 in Hamburg, Iowa. Ethel entered into rest on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Society Care Center in Red Oak, Iowa at the age of 89 years and 4 months surrounded by her family.

Her early years were spent in Sidney, Iowa, where she was raised and attended school. In 1944, Ethel married Freeman E. Cook. To this union two children, Edwin and Sharon were born. Following their marriage, Ethel and Freeman lived in Randolph until moving to Essex in the 1950's.

Ethel was a stay-at-home mom, until going to work for Union Carbide in Red Oak. She worked there for 27 years until retiring in January of 1983. Ethel enjoyed working in the yard and in the garden and loved to bake goodies for her family at Christmas time. She was always there to help other people anyway she could.

Preceding Ethel in death were her parents; husband of 50 years, Freeman; three brothers, Robert, Elmer and Marlin Barnes; four sisters, Shirley Loveless, Iris Williams, Mildred Doyle and Doris Peters; two step sons, Gerald and Kenneth Cook; and step daughter, Jean Briggs. Survivors include her son, Ed Cook of Essex; daughter, Sharon Brought and husband Randy of Kearney, MO; four granddaughters, Jodie Ebersole and husband Dustin of Kansas City, MO, Dee Hertensen of Essex, Jane Adams and Linda Smith both of Fulton, MO; five great grandsons, Cayson Ebersole, Blake and Greg Adams, and Curtis and Clint Smith; three sisters, Wilma Jo Ross, Margaret Harden and husband Gerald, and Marilyn Barnes; sister-in-law, Pauline Gentry of Omaha, NE; five nieces; five nephews; special family friends, Louise Brunecki and Linda Scott; other relatives and a host of friends.

Memorials are being directed to the family. Burial is in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah.