DEATH NOTICES: Leona Cook and Debra Evans (updated)

The Indiana Conference expresses it sympathies to these families and ask for your prayers for them.

LEONA R. (LEE) COOK, 78, wife of retired Indiana Conference elder, the Rev. Charles (Charlie) W. Cook, died in a car accident in Venice, Fla. on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010. Rev. Cook was seriously injured in the accident, was hospitalized, but has returned home. A service celebrating Lee’s life will be held at Christ United Methodist Church, 1475 Center Road in Venice, Fla. at 11 a.m., Friday, Aug. 27. A second service may be held in Indiana at a later date. She served on many conference boards and committees, and as a camp counselor and director of church camps. Survivors include: her husband, the Rev. Charles W. Cook; three children, Victoria Cook Ash of Tallahassee, Charles W. Cook III of St. Augustine and James E. Cook of Mooresville, N.C.; and six grandchildren, Matthew, Kasey, Ashley, Nathan, Faith and Chase. Memorial can be made to Christ United Methodist Church, 1475 Center Road, Venice, FL 34292, and will be designated for missions programs. To share a memory, visit www.farleyfuneralhome.com. Condolences can be sent to the Rev. Charles Cook, 1099 Delacroix Circle, Nokomis, FL 34275-4573.

DEBRA LOUISE (GIERHART) EVANS, 54, wife of the Rev. James M. Evans, Jr., pastor of Crescent Avenue United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne, died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010. A celebration of her life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28 at the Crescent Avenue United Methodist, 1232 Crescent Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805. Following the service family members will receive and greet guests.She is survived by her husband, Rev. James M. Evans Jr.; two sons, James McCall Evans III and Cameron Willis Evans; parents, Rev. Dr. and Mrs. B. Willis Gierhart (a former superintendent of the Fort Wayne District) now of Indianapolis; and brother, James W. Gierhart of Indianapolis. She was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Anne Gierhart of Indianapolis. Condolences can be sent to the Rev. James Evans at the Crescent Avenue UMC.