News for January 14, 1999 Schadler VanLone Lynn (not shown) NEWS FOR JAN. 28, 1999 Sally Cook Funeral services will be held for Sally Florence Cook, 86, of Chico 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 28 at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home. She died Monday, January 25, 1999 at a Chico convalescent hospital. She was born June 25, 1912 in Chicago. Illinois to Charles and Margaret McKinney. While in Chico she worked in the accounting department for Hearst Newspapers. She later worked as a legal secretary working in Chicago, Reno, Nevada, Sacramento, and Chico. On January 10, 1948 she married Lyle Cook in Carson City, Nevada. The couple lived in Cedarville, California and moved to Chico in 1957. In Chico, Mrs. Cook worked as a legal secretary for several law offices. She served as Pastor Ken Backlund's first secretary at Neighborhood Church when it was founded. While raising her family she was active as a Cub Scout Den Mother. She enjoyed playing piano and organ for the rest homes, retirement residences and for the Order of Eastern Star Chico Chapter #104 of which she was a member. She also belonged to the Butte County Association of Legal Secretaries and attended Grace Community Church and Neighborhood Church. Mrs. Cook enjoyed visiting her son and family at the ranch in Surprise Valley in Modoc County. Survivors include two sons, Ardath Pay, Jr. of Shawnee, Kansas and Wesley Cook, of Cedarville, two daughters, Janet Mussel man, of Oak Forest, Illinois and Kathleen Cook, of Ma ibu, seven grandchildren and 15 great-grand children. She is also survived by her companion, Bob Vilcone of Chico. Burial will take place 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Eagleville Cemetery in Modoc County next to her husband, Lyle. Memorial contributions may be made to the Neighborhood Church Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home. Modoc County Record news for March 25, 1999 Artist takes own life Noted local artist Margot Ann "Sissy" Freeman died at her own hands March 11 near her Lake City home. According to the Modoc County Sheriff's Office, Freeman, age 49, had been very depressed and her body was found on a hillside not far from her home. In addition to her artwork, she was also a seasonal back-country ranger for the Modoc National Forest's Warner Mountain Ranger District. She had just recently displayed her artwork, mostly sculpture, at the Art Center in Alturas. Skip Arnew, a good friend of Freeman's, said until recently she had a certain flair for life, that burned as brightly as her plasma cutter. She used the plasma cutter to cut much of her metal art work. Her sculptures were displayed locally and in galleries as far away as the Bay Area. During her life, she enjoyed working with children, teaching various art classes and sharing her love of nature with the students in the Surprise Valley Schools. She had been experiencing depression during the last few months, said Arnew. He and friend Gordon Ash became concerned on March 11 when she did not answer repeated phone calls. "The light of Sissy's life burned as brightly as her plasma cutter," said Arnew. "Surprise Valley and all of Modoc County are now deprived of her talents. It's a shame, she had so much to offer. Her life's light just burned out too soon." Freeman is survived by her parents, Harry and Margaret Freeman of Mill Valley, Ca., sons Justin Haet and Ian Haet of Florida, and a brother James Freeman of Michigan. Following cremation, her remains were inurned at St. John's Episcopal Church Memorial Gardens in Ross, Ca. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier" Modoc County, California --- Our outgoing mail is checked by ZoneAlarm AntiVirus.