Longtime State Senator Nancy Cook has died, and she is being remembered as a mentor, trailblazer and leader.
Cook was first elected to the State Senate in 1974, and represented her Kent County district until 2010. She was the first woman to chair the Joint Finance Committee. Cook was also Delaware longest-serving woman in the General Assembly.
In statements remembering her, U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester called Cook a mentor. State Sen. Nicole Poore, echoed those sentiments on the Senate floor Tuesday.
"She would encourage us females when to hold and when to fold. She would share some of her most difficult times, at the same time she would encourage us to make sure that we could cross this aisle and know that when we were passing something, it was about for in the benefit of every single Delawarean, not just necessarily one party," said Poore.
Sen. Dave Lawson – who defeated Cook in the 2010 election, called her a class act, and commending her for running a cordial race.
"I would call her and say, ‘hey, you know, the 15th better than anybody. What should I do in this case? How should I handle this?’ And she was quick to give me information and advice on how to do it. Again a class act. She will be missed," said Lawson.
In a joint statement Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola and Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker call Cook a true public servant.
They added that after leaving public office they could count on Cook to share her wisdom with Democrats and Republicans alike whenever times got tough.
House leadership released a joint statement saying Cook helped shape the direction of the state in ways still felt today.
Gov. Matt Meyer praised Cook as a devoted mother and grandmother as well as being a trusted friend and a mentor saying he - like many - benefited from her wisdom, humor and guidance.
Former Gov. Jack Markell called Cook a legend who knew the state budget better than anybody else.
Wilmington Mayor and former Gov. John Carney in a statement called Cook a force of nature who put people first, and believed that government should lift people up.
