Mary Kathleen Cook

Mary Kathleen Cook, age 83, of Mitchell, Nebraska, passed away on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Mitchell Care Center with family at her side. Cremation has taken place per Kathleen's wishes, and a service will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be expressed by visiting Mary’s obituary page, viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.

Kathleen was born on December 18, 1942, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Charles Patrick Cook and Mary Kay (Marshall) Cook. Her parents divorced when she was only three years old, and her mother later remarried William "Bud" Wilson, whom she fondly referred to as “Dad Wilson”.

Kathleen was a free spirit, and she never married or had any children. She became very dear friends with Gary Somr, and together they spent the last 24 years sharing common interests, conversation, friendship, and time.

Kathleen lived most of her younger adult years in Kansas and Missouri working factory jobs. She returned to the Scottsbluff area in the late 1990s/early 2000s to be closer to her mother and siblings living in the area.

Kathleen continuously had a smile on her face. She never knew a stranger, was a social butterfly, and could fill you in on all the goings on wherever she was residing. She always had a joke to tell, which may or may not have always been appropriate.

Kathleen was a passionate artist. She loved photography and was an avid painter. As she gracefully aged, her hands were not as steady as they once were, so she made adjustments to her art in order to be able to continue doing what she enjoyed. Kathleen would do Zentangle (a form of abstract art) and adult coloring books that she could put her artistic skills to use by using multiple coloring techniques. She also liked to knit, crochet, and needlepoint.

Kathleen has left behind her dear friend, Gary Somr; siblings, Mary Ann (Rod) Edwards of Scottsbluff, NE, Bridget (Edward) Koloseus of Jeffersonton, VA, Ann Cook Juarez of Topeka, KS, John (Kathy) Wilson of Scottsbluff, NE, and Ben (Sherry) Wilson of Dunnellon, FL; sister-in-law, Jo Villa Wilson of Ypsilanti, MI; nieces and nephews, Verle "Skeeter" (Angie) Mills of Morrill, NE, Kimberly "Kimmy" (Cory) Zimmerman of Morrill, NE, Shelley Mills of Gering, NE, David (Angela) Wilson of Jefferson, VA, Jean (Michael) Ostrowski of Ypsilanti, MI, Nicole (Tony) Green of Scottsbluff, NE, John Wilson of Scottsbluff, NE, Danica (Darren) Hemphill of Armington, IL, and Spencer Wilson of Inverness, FL; several great and great-great nieces and nephews; along with a multitude of friends she made during her life.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, William and Mary Kay Wilson and Charles Patrick Cook; brother, William "Bill" Wilson; nephew, Joseph Wilson; and brother-in-law, Joe Juarez.

The family would like to give a sincere and special thank you to the loving and caring staff (extended family) of the Mitchell Care Center, where she had resided for the past nearly ten years.