Velma Cook, 1934

For a change of pace I’m going back to the Willaimsville Township High School class of 1934. There we find Velma Cook. A great smile AND coif! Williamsville Township HS was in Williams, Illinois, part of Sangamon county. Only one Velma Cook appeared to live nearby in that time period. Velma A. Cook, born about 1916 in Illinois to A. H.  Cook (Arthur Harrison or Harry Arthur, his name appears both ways) and Julia Beatrice Sparrow. Her mother had a child (Charles) from a previous marriage. Velma was the first born to Julia and Arthur. She was followed by siblings A. H. (presumably Jr.) and James B. who was about 9 years her junior.

In 1920 the family was farming in Fancy Creek, IL and still farming in 1930 in Williams. Both in Sangamon county. Then the obvious traces of Velma disappear. I don’t have a marriage record, but she’s no longer living with her parents in 1940 (they are still in Williams). One family tree does say that Velma married a Harold Collier. And there is a Harold and Velma A. Collier living in Logan county, Illinois in 1940 – with baby Harold aged 3. I don’t have proof this is the same Velma, however it is likely. Another tree states that Velma Alice Cook lived from 1916-1979 and died in Battle Creek, Michigan.  I have not been able to find any documentation through the web that verifies this enough to call it “our Velma.”

Her father and brother A. H. are both buried in Sangamon county. Good luck Velma!