629 Shenandoah Avenue, Bluefield West Virginia - Bluefield, WV - Arlene Neal Cook, cherished wife, devoted and treasured mother, and beloved Nana, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at the age of 82 at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Arlene was born on November 11, 1942, in Abingdon, Virginia, where she grew up with her three sisters. Bright, resilient, and full of spirit, Arlene weathered a challenging childhood with independence, strength and the comradery of her mother and band of sisters. Her love of reading and joyful stories of small-town bicycle adventures became the foundation of a lifelong passion for learning and storytelling.

She came of age in the vibrant 1950s, filled with rock-and-roll, dancing, nights at the local movie theater and bowling alley, and the golden era of the Barter Theatre. A proud graduate of Abingdon High School's Class of 1961, she later became the first in her family to pursue post-secondary education, attending business college. Her quiet determination and love of learning inspired her children to earn college degrees of their own.

When Arlene met Lester Cook, the world shifted. The two became inseparable, eventually settling in Bluefield, WV, where they began their life together and raised a family. Arlene chose to step away from a career to dedicate herself fully to motherhood—a role she embraced with passion, creativity, and unconditional love. Her children and grandchildren remember a childhood filled with wonder, joy, and unwavering support. To them, she was everything "Mom and Nana"—a guiding light and a quiet angel among us.

Arlene, quick with praise, would say her children were her greatest accomplishments. Her legacy lives on through the lives she shaped and the love she gave. Tireless in her devotion to family, Arlene was the heart of every gathering and the soul of her home. Her selflessness, kindness, and strength leave a void no one can fill, but a legacy that will never fade. May she rest peacefully, knowing she cultivated a life of meaning, love, and a well-tended life garden.

Arlene was preceded in death by her loving husband of 42 years, Lester Cook of Bluefield, WV, and her mother, Rena Jones Neal Walker, formerly of Princeton, WV.

She is survived by her daughter, Sherri L. Cook and husband Robert G. Gourdie of Hardy, VA, and her son, Darren S. Cook of Princeton, WV. She is also survived by her treasured grandchildren, Laken Cook and Caeley Cook of Lindside, WV, and Kaiden Cook of Princeton, WV. Arlene is additionally survived by her sisters: Mildred Radford of Princeton, WV; Jan Addison of Richmond, KY; and Jean Suiter of Goldsboro, NC.

A celebration of life will be held at College Avenue Baptist Church located at 1906 Jefferson Street on Saturday, August 16th, with a gathering of family and friends beginning at 12:00 PM and a memorial program at 1:00 PM. A graveside service will follow at Roselawn Cemetery, 450 Courthouse Road, Princeton, WV. at 2:30pm.