Shirley Gail Cook was born on Jan. 20, 1929 on the family farm near Galton, Ill. to John and Gail (Bonner) Cook, the 11th of 12 children. She graduated from Tuscola High School in 1946 and married her high school sweetheart Robert Leroy Briggs that same year in Danville on Oct. 5th.
Shirley spent her entire adult life in Champaign, except for the four years her husband, Bob, was stationed at Sampson AFB near Geneva, N.Y. There they had their first two children, Sharon Sue and Jack Wayne. Their third child, Joseph Robert, was born after they returned to Champaign. Bob passed away on Sep. 10, 1969. She was remarried to George Wilfred Williams of Champaign on Oct. 8, 1987 in Paxton. He passed away on Dec. 20, 2000.
She spent over 20 years working for the Carragher Insurance Agcy. as a secretary, insurance broker, and notary public. She then worked for the Unit 4 School District until her retirement in 1995. She then continued working part-time, did volunteer work, and spent numerous hours on her handicraft business with booths at local flea-markets. She was known as the "Goose Lady" at Gordyville. Very rarely would you see her or her sister, Betty, without a crochet hook in their hand making "scrubbies".
She loved gardening, sewing, camping, traveling, playing cards, and was an avid Fighting Illini fan. She was a longtime football season ticket holder and would often travel to away games and bowl games. She was a member of the Cornerstone Baptist Church.
Shirley was the matriarch of a large family which was always her priority. She is survived by and will be greatly missed by her sister Betty Ross of Royal; daughter Sharon Petersson of Champaign; sons Jack (Meribeth) Briggs of Tolono, and Joseph (Karen) Briggs of Mahomet; grandchildren Jacob (Emily) Briggs and Amanda (James) Fulfer of Tolono, Jami (Jacob) Zinicola of Orlando, Fla., Heather Briggs of Urbana, Jessica (Danny) Evans of Monticello, and Cody (Kelsie) Briggs of Mahomet; step-sons George (Deanna) Williams of Champaign, Joseph (Ellyn) Williams of Mount Horeb, Wisc., David DaSilva of San Mateo, Calif.; step-daughters Mary Ann (William) Corthen of Kingston, Ida., Elanna DaSilva of Hayden Lake, Ida., Sonia (James) Safran of Littleton, Colo., and Christina Williams of Rantoul; as well as her step, great, and great-great grandchildren Jasmine, Abigail, Jackson, Ruby, Tiffani, Kyndall, Ellie, Justin (Caila), Richard, John, Ryan (Angelina), Sophia, Jordan, Katie, Garrett, and Zayden; and numerous nieces and nephews.
“We Love You More!”
Published in the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette
Shirley Gail Cook was born on Jan. 20, 1929 on the family farm near Galton, Ill. to John and Gail (Bonner) Cook, the 11th of 12 children. She graduated from Tuscola High School in 1946 and married her high school sweetheart Robert Leroy Briggs that same year in Danville on Oct. 5th.
Shirley spent her entire adult life in Champaign, except for the four years her husband, Bob, was stationed at Sampson AFB near Geneva, N.Y. There they had their first two children, Sharon Sue and Jack Wayne. Their third child, Joseph Robert, was born after they returned to Champaign. Bob passed away on Sep. 10, 1969. She was remarried to George Wilfred Williams of Champaign on Oct. 8, 1987 in Paxton. He passed away on Dec. 20, 2000.
She spent over 20 years working for the Carragher Insurance Agcy. as a secretary, insurance broker, and notary public. She then worked for the Unit 4 School District until her retirement in 1995. She then continued working part-time, did volunteer work, and spent numerous hours on her handicraft business with booths at local flea-markets. She was known as the "Goose Lady" at Gordyville. Very rarely would you see her or her sister, Betty, without a crochet hook in their hand making "scrubbies".
She loved gardening, sewing, camping, traveling, playing cards, and was an avid Fighting Illini fan. She was a longtime football season ticket holder and would often travel to away games and bowl games. She was a member of the Cornerstone Baptist Church.
Shirley was the matriarch of a large family which was always her priority. She is survived by and will be greatly missed by her sister Betty Ross of Royal; daughter Sharon Petersson of Champaign; sons Jack (Meribeth) Briggs of Tolono, and Joseph (Karen) Briggs of Mahomet; grandchildren Jacob (Emily) Briggs and Amanda (James) Fulfer of Tolono, Jami (Jacob) Zinicola of Orlando, Fla., Heather Briggs of Urbana, Jessica (Danny) Evans of Monticello, and Cody (Kelsie) Briggs of Mahomet; step-sons George (Deanna) Williams of Champaign, Joseph (Ellyn) Williams of Mount Horeb, Wisc., David DaSilva of San Mateo, Calif.; step-daughters Mary Ann (William) Corthen of Kingston, Ida., Elanna DaSilva of Hayden Lake, Ida., Sonia (James) Safran of Littleton, Colo., and Christina Williams of Rantoul; as well as her step, great, and great-great grandchildren Jasmine, Abigail, Jackson, Ruby, Tiffani, Kyndall, Ellie, Justin (Caila), Richard, John, Ryan (Angelina), Sophia, Jordan, Katie, Garrett, and Zayden; and numerous nieces and nephews.
“We Love You More!”
Published in the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette
Family Members
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Melville Bartley "Mickey" Cook
1907–1927
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Kenneth W Cook
1909–1958
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Erma Marie Cook
1912–1913
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Lloyd Frank "Jack" Cook
1915–2000
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Dorothy Cook Pedigo
1917–2003
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Lois Margaret Cook Henley
1920–2002
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Robert John "Cecil" Cook
1922–1996
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Amanda Josephine Cook
1924–1925
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Thomas H. Cook
1926–2008
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Betty Jean Cook Ross
1931–2018
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