Lura Cook Norman's Obituary
Lura Cook Norman, 71, passed away September 10, 2021 with Bill, her husband of 47 years, curled up by her side. She had battled COPD and several other complicating illnesses for many years, but was a fighter until the end.
She was born on July 4, 1950 in Steubenville, OH and spent her early childhood years in St. Charles, Missouri until her father, Ben Cook, moved his manufacturing company, STEMCO, to Longview, Texas.
Lura graduated from Longview High School in 1968 and attended Colorado State University, Kilgore College, and University of North Texas. She opted to elope in 1973 and marry the love of her life, Bill Norman, instead of finishing her last few credits for graduation.
Lura devoted her life to being a wonderful wife and loving mother. She and Bill were two peas in a pod and did everything together, to the very end. She taught her girls to be strong women like her and made sure they always knew that there wasn’t anything they couldn’t do. She was always so proud of the women and mothers that they became. Lura enjoyed living a quiet life with her family, friends, and her beloved fur babies. Lura’s friends were family to her, and she would do anything for those she loved. Her life had a ripple effect that touched countless lives – far more than she would have ever taken credit for impacting.
She inherited her business savvy from her dad and continued to grow the oil and gas business, which was started by her grandfather Tom Cook, Sr., and carried on by Ben. In the ‘80’s Lura found computers, and a life-long passion for technology was begun. She had a keen mind and loved the efficiency and accuracy of computers. She embraced on-line shopping when the rest of us were still trying to find a parking space at the mall. Many people would consult with Lura when trying to decide what kind of computer to buy and which programs to use. Her spreadsheets were legendary.
Lura’s hobbies seemed to be things that those closest to her were all able to enjoy with her. There’s no way to know how many crocheted blankets she has made and given away to friends and family through the years. Her cooking was amazing, and like all good southern women, her favorite ingredients for flavor were probably butter and bacon grease. And if you ever had a taste of her family recipe of hand-pulled taffy, you’ve tasted just a little bit of heaven. Living at Lake Cherokee brought her such joy, and she spent decades designing and refining the stunning landscape that framed the amazing view. She knew, and labeled, every one of the hundreds of varieties of plants, trees, and flowers in her design.
Lura is survived by her husband Bill Norman, her two daughters, Nikki Briscoe of Longview, TX and Tonya Sanders and her husband Andy of Tulsa, OK. She is also survived by her two grandchildren Dylan Briscoe and Makenzie Sanders, three nieces, Natalie Slater, Katherine Cook, and Sarah Cook; and cousins, Jay Cook and Jean Nealey.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Ben H. Cook and Irene O. Cook, her brother Paul Cook, and her sister Terry Cook Slater. The family would like to additionally thank Texas Home Health Hospice and the caretakers of Comfort Keepers. Your heartfelt care was deeply felt by Lura and by us.
Services will be held at Rader Funeral Home of Longview, TX on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Visitation will begin at 3pm followed by a memorial service at 4pm (online streaming available). There will be a funeral procession following the service to Rosewood Park where she will be laid to rest in the Cook Family plot. Donations can be made to the ASPCA or local animal shelters to take care of all the furry friends.
A memorial guestbook may be signed online at www.raderfh.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Lura?
What’s a lesson you learned from Lura?
Share a story where Lura's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Lura you’ll never forget.
How did Lura make you smile?
