Margaret Fulmer Cook
Mrs. Harold Cook Dies Friday Unexpectedly
Margaret Fulmer Cook, 69, widow of the late Dr. Harold J. Cook, of Agate, died Friday at a Scottsbluff hospital. The death came as a shock here as many had not realized that she had undergone surgery two weeks earlier. Death was due to a heart attack.
Her death comes at a time when her great interest, the development of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, is just getting underway, and her loss will be felt greatly by those involved with the monument. She was postmistress at Agate.
She married Dr. Cook, national and internationally known paleontologist and heir to the Agate Springs Ranch and fossil quarries on October 28, 1930, and came to Agate to make her home.
After Dr. Cook's death in 1962 Mrs. Cook worked with various other persons, officials and groups to successfully promote legislation creating the monument to preserve the famous fossil hills for the benefit of future generations, a wish of her late husband.
She traveled widely speaking to groups in the interest of the Monument, and testified before Congressional committees as the legislation was considered. At the Agate Springs Ranch many have trilled to her telling of the story of the ranch and the monument.
She helped organize and was a member of the board of directors of the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Association, and of the Agate Springs Foundation, organizations to assist promotion and possible later development of scientific studies at the site.
On June 5, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the legislation authorizing the creation of the Monument, and development work is just this year getting underway. Mrs. Cook has worked closely with officials of the National Park Service in the preliminaries and in the preserving of the Cook collection of Indian relics and artifacts.
She just recently completed organization and editing of her husband's reminiscences to be published shortly by the University of Nebraska Press under the title of "Tales of the 04 Ranch."
Mrs. Cook was born June 24, 1899, at Mead, Nebr., and moved to Inglewood, Calif., with her parents at the age of seven. She attended elementary school and Inglewood High School. Later she attended State Normal School at Los Angeles, a school which later became UCLA.
After graduation she taught music in the elementary school at Inglewood. She became known as a talented musician, vocalist, educator and naturalist, and had a wide acquaintance with people in the scientific and naturalist fields.
Funeral services were being held this Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Benson-Jolliffe Funeral Home in Scottsbluff with the Rev. Clyde E. Whitney officiating. Committal services will be held Monday, Aug 19, at 10:00 at Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff.
A memorial has been established at the Heart Fund.