Madelon Marie (McMahon) Cook

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Madelon Marie Cook, 88, of North Bend, will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Coos Bay Chapel, 685 Anderson Avenue. A reception will follow at the Black Market Gourmet, 495 Central Avenue in Coos Bay. A private urnside will be held at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Coos Bay.

Madelon was born on April 1, 1936 in Kearney, Nebraska to John McMahon and Twila ( Johnson ) McMahon. She passed away on July 23, 2024 in Coos Bay.

Madelon had been a resident of Coos County for almost 80 years. Our mother was a remarkable woman. She moved with her family to Powers in the springtime of 1948. She graduated from high school in Powers and entered nursing school at Providence Hospital in Portland the same year. Her education was interrupted by illness and she returned to Powers to recover. While in Powers she met the love of her life, our father, Clinton Eugene Cook, who had just returned from the Korean Conflict. They were indeed a handsome couple! They married in Powers in November of 1955 and there began a family of eight children, all of us born and raised in Coos County. Tragically our father died in North Bend from illness on March 4, 1971. Thereafter our remarkable mother raised up this family of eight alone.

Madelon had supportive parents, including her brothers, and she had really close friends and neighbors, but when the lights went on in the morning and off at night, mom was there steering and attending to all of us. She taught us early to be friends with one another, to look after each other, to do our share and to be independent. She made room for our friends to visit and even shelter with us from time to time. She loved us. There was always food at the table and room for another plate but we knew that we might need to cook some of it and for sure, clean up the dishes and sweep the floor. And remarkably, during those hectic times she managed to continue her nursing education and earned full time employment at Bay Area Hospital, finally retiring in 1998 as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Our mother had an exceptional memory for birthdays and special events. She loved to read, take trips to the beach and was an Oregon Ducks fan. God bless our remarkable mother and please pray for her peaceful passage to an easier place.

Madelon is survived by her children; Mickey, Rod, Jim, Kevin, Karen, Chris, Pat and Mandy; including 42 grand and great grandchildren.

Friends and family are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.theworldlink.com. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440.

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