Barbara A (Leake) Cook , VRHS Class of 1955
Barbara Ann Cook (née Leake) passed away peacefully on Friday, December 5, 2025, at Sunrise of Vienna in Vienna, VA, at the age of 90. Barbara was loved and cherished by family and friends who will miss her dearly. She was kind, friendly, quiet, and a strong advocate for infants and a woman of wisdom to all who knew her. She was a daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, mother-in-law, and friend. Barb was born in Albany, NY, the older of two children. She graduated from Van Rensselaer High School. During her high school years, she was an enthusiastic drummer and a member of Mt. St. John's Drum Corps, the Valiant Crusaders. After high school she attended The Austin Beauty School in Albany and then worked as a beautician at Vanity Fair in Albany. Barbara met and married (1958) her husband of 58 years, James V. Cook (Jim), in Rensselaer, NY, where they grew up. They began raising their family in Rensselaer and, after outgrowing their home, moved to Clifton Park, NY, where they continued to raise their eight children. She enjoyed helping with homework, cooking delicious meals, and attending endless sports and school activities. In 1980 Jim was transferred to Fairfax, VA, and they moved the family to Reston, VA. Once the eight children were grown and independent, Barb and Jim supported Catholic Charities and fostered 16 infants over 20 years. After taking many courses, Barb also worked as a nurse in the NICU at Reston Hospital. She enjoyed knitting and crocheting, watching the Washington Nationals, attending Navy football games, and yearly vacations to the Outer Banks. Barbara was predeceased by her parents, Lillian E. Leake (Branion) and Ralph M. Leake; her husband, James V. Cook; her brother, Ralph P. Leake; and son-in-law, Richard Goodwin. Barbara leaves behind many to mourn her passing and cherish fond memories: her eight children, Linda Goodwin; Eileen Jacobs (Steve Kowil); Michael Cook (Amy Nalls); Christine Ryan (Greg Ryan); Nancy Ryan (Michael Ryan); William Cook (Linsey Espley); Carol Genovese (Thomas Genovese); and Edward Cook (Paige Zownir). Barbara's 17 grandchildren include Russell, Jackson, Patrick, Taylor, Kelsey, Kayla, Terrence, Katie, Liam, Henry, Charlie, Ruby, James, William, Michael, Oscar, and Caitlynn. Her great-grandchildren are Sylvie, Hugo, Layla and identical twins on the way! The family thanks their many friends for their support, visits, and kindness, as well as the staff at Sunrise of Vienna and Vistas Healthcare (hospice). Memorial contributions in Barbara's memory may be made to Catholic Charities USA at https://donate.catholiccharitiesusa.org. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 3rd Ave Ext, Rensselaer, NY.