Janet Cook

Janet Cook

On Jan. 3, 2009, around 2:18 a.m., with her daughter Paula's arms around her, God came to take Janet home.

Only on New Year's Day, our mother, who was often called a "Liz Taylor look-alike," discovered she had cancerous tumors. Not knowing her final hours were approaching, her entire family had gathered around her, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, brothers and close friends, to give her love and support.

Mom was born May 25, 1934, in Whitewater, to Clarence Edgar and Nancy Earl Snider Gloth, who preceded her in death. She attended school in Delta where she graduated from the 12th grade.

She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau, Daughters of Isabella, and past member of VFW Post 3838 Ladies Auxiliary.

Mom was an extraordinary cook. She used her talents to open her own restaurant, Janet's Midtown in the mid-1970s. Venturing forward, Mom was head cook at Southeast Missouri State University 25 years, beginning at Dearmont and retiring from Towers Dormitory. Desiring to be close to her grandchildren, she spent the next five years cooking at St. Augustine Grade School in Kelso, Mo.

Mom was a kind and most generous person. Her personality was not just a one in a million, she was one in a lifetime. We are all so blessed to have been loved by her. She sacrificed and did without to raise her two daughters, Connie and Paula. We had sad times, but we had more good times and so many laughs along the way. She was a loving and dedicated mother to her daughters and even more dedicated to her grandchildren.

Her Christian faith provided a stable background and steady influence throughout the years. We were truly blessed to have a mother we admired, respected and who supported us to achieve our goals in life. Mom was a courageous lady with a wonderful sense of humor, a strong sense of family and will always be remembered. Life will be difficult without her and never the same. Our mother is loved and greatly missed by daughters, grandchildren, family and friends.

Mom was a superior grandmother. Each grandchild has special memories that stand out. For Alicia it's Grandma calling every morning at 7 a.m. sharp to tell her goodbye for school and Grandma always having the best taste in earrings. At 7:45 rain or shine, sitting outside in her lawn chair, she was there to tell Colton goodbye for school. Grandma also loved playing games with Colton or just sitting and watching him play Wii. Her last night here, Colton played several games of "Don't Spill The Beans," taking it easy on Grandma and letting her win; Grandma just smiled.

Brittney remembers Grandma teaching her the song "Amazing Grace" and singing together. Grandma always wanted to know where Brittney was going and, of course, when she would be home. Jessica's favorite memory is her first date, when grandma cautioned her about the date getting "fresh," and if this happened, he needed to bring her home immediately. Jessica still laughs remembering playing hide and seek with Grandma. When she was 7 years old she'd hide in the barn and giggle until grandma found her. Grandma made it a point to know all the grandchildren's friends and everything about them.

Loving survivors include daughter Connie Spies Ticer, Norman Ticer and children Alicia Kay Ticer, Mark (Minyo) Ticer, children Seth, Angel, Haley, Eric (Jodi) Ticer. Loving surviving daughter Paula Spies Diebold, (Jones), David Diebold and children Jessica Marie Diebold, Brittney Lee Diebold, Colton Christopher Paul Jones.

Additional survivors Robert C. Jones, Heather (Josh) Kelly, and former husbands Paul R. Spies and Clyde J. Cook. Loving surviving sister, Dorothy (Ted) Scheper; loving surviving brothers, Bill (Irene) Gloth and James (Sue) Gloth; loving surviving honorary daughter, Patricia (John) Moll.

Our mother and grandmother will watch over us until we are together again.

Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m., with the Rev. Tom Kiefer officiating.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau. Entombment will follow at Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum.