Lotha M. Cook

Lotha Marie (Raley) Cook, 92, of Sabetha, Kansas, passed to Heaven into the arms of her personal Lord and Savior on Saturday, December 6, 2025. She was born on Sunday, February 12, 1933, at her parents, Walton and Clara (Buckley) Raley’s home in Lead Hill, Arkansas. Lotha accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior and was baptized at a young age.

Lotha attended school through the eighth grade in Lead Hill, Arkansas, and then attended high school in Bergman, Arkansas, graduating in 1951. After high school, Lotha worked at the Levi Garment Factory in Harrison, Arkansas, and Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas.

On Saturday, November 29, 1952, Lotha married the love of her life and her high school sweetheart, Harold Dean Cook, at the Eagle Heights Baptist Church in Harrison, Arkansas. Harold and Lotha were blessed with three children.

The Cooks moved to Sabetha in the fall of 1967. From 1980 until her retirement, Lotha worked at several different jobs, including the local flower shop. She also held positions at TJ Drug Store, Sabetha Manor Dietary Department, and Gingerbread Day Care. Harold and Lotha also opened their home and hosted an International Exchange Student, Viviana Martinez from Ecuador.

Harold and Lotha moved to the Apostolic Christian Retirement Village in Sabetha in 2003, where Lotha served as the Village Treasurer for seventeen years.

Lotha was a member of the NorthRidge Church in Sabetha, serving in several different positions through the years, including Deaconess, Trustee Board member, Sunday School secretary, Youth Group leader/sponsor, and working at Vacation Bible School for over 20 years. In her lifetime, Lotha volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader and with the Sabetha Hospital Guild. She was a member of the Original Women’s Investment Club, the Christian Women's Club, holding an office for three years, Rosie Oldies - Red Hat Society, serving as the Queen Mother of the organization for several years, and a past member of the Order of Eastern Star.

Throughout her life, Lotha enjoyed doing crafts and handwork, including crocheting and bobbin lace. Oftentimes, family and friends were blessed with receiving some of her handiwork, made with her loving hands. Another one of Lotha’s favorite pastimes was traveling near and afar.

Lotha was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harold Dean Cook; her son, Adrian Lynn Cook; her grandson, Shawn Adrian Grimm; her brothers, Victor, Chet, Robert, Orville, Fredrick Olon, and Wallace Raley; and her sisters, Irene (Raley) Bond, Eural Raley, Mary Raley, Ravenell (Raley) Booth, and Belle (Raley) Logan.

Lotha is survived by her two daughters, Marsha Eckert of Norfolk, Nebraska, and Valerie (Craig) Scroggins of Cameron, Missouri; her three grandchildren, Amber Grimm (Ty Martin) of Norfolk, Nebraska, Tiffany Eckert and Axl of Norfolk, Nebraska, and Colby Scroggins of Cameron, Missouri; her two great-grandchildren, Malaysia Grimm (Jacob Gordon) of Omaha, Nebraska and Kristopher Grimm of Norfolk, Nebraska; her sister, Ethyl Geneve Cook of Bothell, Washington; and her many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the NorthRidge Church in Sabetha. Before the service, a visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be made in the Sabetha Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the NorthRidge Church, sent in care of Popkess Mortuary, 823 Virginia Street, Sabetha, Kansas 66534.