Brenda Elizabeth Cummings Cook passed away at her home in Mars Hill, N.C. on September 9, 2011 with her son by her side. Born in Elkin, N.C., Brenda spent her 64 years taking good care of the ones she loved. She graduated cum laude from Mars Hill College in 1969 and completed her Master of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1971. After teaching at the University of Mississippi for one year, she returned to Mars Hill College and taught Home Economics from 1972-79. Taking sometime to raise a family with Gary Spence, Brenda later served the community as the Child Nutrition Director of Madison County Schools for two decades, where she started a local Farm-to-School program which later served as a national model. She supported the locally grown food movement, and loved to cook and entertain. She absolutely lived for her grandchildren and adored her great niece and nephews.
She is survived by her parents, Robert James and Hazel Mounce Cummings, of Elkin, N.C.; husband, Donald Robert Cook, of Mars Hill; brother, Robert James Cummings, Jr., (JoAnne) also of Elkin; sisters Karen Sue Armstrong-Cummings (Dan) of Frankfort, Ky. and Barbara Cummings Reed (preceded, Joe)of Mebane, N.C.; father of her children, Gary Lee Spence of Marshall, N.C.; son, Patrick Hanson Spence(Erin) and grandson, Nolan Hanson Spence of Fletcher, N.C.; daughter, Molly Spence Martin (Michael), and granddaughter, Naomi Love Martin of Ashburn, Va.; and her loving nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at Little Richmond Baptist Church (9609 NC Highway 268, in Elkin) on Wednesday, September 14, at 2 p.m. There will also be a memorial service on Thursday, September 15, at Mars Hill Baptist Church (67 North Main Street) at 7 p.m. Memorial donations can be made to Mars Hill College (Attn: InMemory of Brenda Cummings Cook, PO Box 370, Mars Hill, N.C. 28754), where the family established a scholarship fund in her memory. Donations can also be made to the Little Richmond Baptist Church (Attn:Cemetery Fund, 164 Kitty Way, Elkin, N.C. 28621).

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