Mildred Crook

Canton – Mildred Beddingfield Crook, age 86, of the Cruso community, passed away from Alzheimer's disease on Thursday, November 26, 2015 at her residence. Mildred was born one spring day in 1929 in Rainbow Springs, Macon County, where her family was temporarily living. She was raised in the Canton area, where she lived with her parents French Marshall and Daisy Christopher Beddingfield and two older sisters, Heloise Beddingfield Cook and Irene Beddingfield Wright. All preceded her in death. She received her high school diploma from Wesleyan Methodist College in South Carolina and went to work at Enka in Candler. While walking in downtown Canton, she spied a friend from work walking with a young, handsome man. Her friend later introduced Mildred to the man, Benjamin Lee Crook, a Candler native. It was love at first sight for Benjamin, then a Navy enlistee stationed in Florida. He asked Mildred to marry him a few times and she said no each time, embarrassed that he was nine months younger than she was. He finally bought a ring and mailed it to her. She accepted. They married in 1950, had 9 children and spent 50 years together before he died in 2001. During those years they lived a short time in Georgia, many years in Texas City, Texas, then moved back to Cruso and their beloved mountains. Aside from taking care of a household of 11 people, cooking three meals a day and keeping an organized, clean house, Mildred loved music, painting, sewing, crafting, Vacation Bible School, East Fork Baptist Church, singing in the church choir, the Woman's Missionary Union and home mission work, especially if it involved children. She was known for her smile, her beautiful singing voice, her warmth, her sweet blue eyes, her laughter, her grace and spiritual beauty. She is survived by seven daughters, Elizabeth Alonzo of Jacksonville, Texas, Donna Rahman (Mahbub) of Oceanside, California, Joyce Crook of Canton, Pamela Jensen (Harlan) of Texas City, Texas, Teri Crook of Waynesville, Julie Crook of Waynesville, Coleen Mintz (Chris) of Waynesville; two sons, David Crook of Waynesville and Douglas Crook (Terri) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; 19 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at Wells Funeral Home of Canton. Funeral Services will follow at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the funeral home. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Candler. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the following special people: Jan O'Neil, Vickie Pinkerton and Russell Wheeler.

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