The Life Story of Virginia Glen Bingham Cooke
Virginia Glen Bingham Cooke was born on July 25, 1925 in West Point, Virginia. She was the daughter of the late John and Sadie Bingham. She was the sixth child of nine siblings, all of whom also preceded her in death.
Virginia (Glen, as she was called by family and friends) led a very fruitful, happy and active life, doing things that she loved and doing them her way, even as she invited you to join her. She loved arts and crafts, music, travel, decorating and cooking. She taught herself to play the piano at a very young age. She loved to eat “good food”, especially mussels and crab cakes. Glen loved to socialize; she organized a “Brunch Bunch” club who met monthly while she lived in Virginia; she directed many choir groups at several churches in Virginia; and she was always involved in organizing fundraisers and other charitable events for her church in West Point, VA, Mt. Nebo Baptist Church, as well as participating in activities at her local community church, Bethel Baptist Church.
Virginia’s (Glen’s) early education took place in West Point, VA until she moved to Philadelphia with an aunt and uncle at age nine. Her education, then, continued in the Philadelphia School system, concluding with her graduation from Simon Gratz High School in 1944. It was at Gratz High School that she met her lifelong sweetheart and, ultimately her husband, Russell E. Cooke. They married in March, 1945 and remained together until Russell’s (Cookie) death in 2006. Virginia and Russell were blessed to have had three children: Barbara,
Douglas (deceased) and Gary (deceased). They were married a total of 61 years. Glen and Cookie lived in Philadelphia, PA until 1981, when they decided to build their own home and move to Gloucester, VA. Glen remained in their home in Gloucester, VA until 2013, after Cookie’s death. She decided to move back to the Philadelphia area to be nearer to her daughter, Barbara, at that time.
After Virginia moved to the Philadelphia area in 2013, she decided to become a member of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas where she thoroughly enjoyed attending the Wednesday Healing Services. She eventually volunteered to play the piano for those services as a way of providing musical accompaniment for the service.
While living in Philadelphia, PA, Virginia worked in various positions as a secretary and an administrative assistant. Once she moved back to the State of Virginia, she worked as an administrative assistant to the Comptroller at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, VA. She worked there until 1992, when she retired.
Virginia’s greatest love was her family; her husband, Cookie, whom she lovingly referred to as “Darl” and her children, Barbara, Douglas and Gary; and her grandsons, Brandon, Kevin, Dwayne and James. She was loved by many and returned that love to many with her sensitive and giving character and humorous spirit.
On Thursday, February 25, 2021, our Heavenly Father decided to invite our beloved Virginia (Glen) to come with Him. She quietly and without a second thought, accepted the invitation. She is survived by her daughter, Barbara Douglass (Wynnewood, PA); grandson, Brandon Douglass (Atlanta, GA); grandsons, Kevin and Dwayne Cooke (Camden, NJ); grandson, James Pope (Arizona); as well as other family members and friends.
Submitted With Love,
The Family
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