Melinda Jo Cook

August 5, 1968 - December 16, 2020

Melinda Jo (Bryant) Cook, of Ozark, Arkansas passed from this life on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at Mercy Hospital in Ozark at the age of 52. She was born August 5, 1968 in Harrison, Arkansas to her parents, Murl Lewis & Beverly Ann (Smith) Bryant. Growing up in the mountains of Mt. Judea, Arkansas, Melinda Jo Cook graduated from Mt. Judea High School in 1986 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Arkansas Tech University in 1990. She married Craig Lewis Cook of Mt. Judea on June 22, 1991 and they started a life together in Ozark, where she enjoyed tending her flowers, watching school sporting events, and baking beautiful, ornate birthday cakes for their two girls. Melinda was a member of the Epsilon Upsilon chapter of Beta Sigma Phi sorority for 20 years, serving as the chapter’s Treasurer for more than 15 years. Melinda worked as accounting manager at SGL Carbon in Ozark from 1990 to 2017. In 2017, Melinda became the plant controller at Baldor in Ozark and worked there until the present day. Melinda faithfully attended Calvary Baptist Church and was grateful for all of the people who were praying for her and checking on her. Everyone that knew her recognized that Melinda was the hardest working mother and businesswoman around. Balancing motherhood and a full-time career, she always made time for her daughters’ sporting events, school plays, and dance & band recitals. Never one to neglect her family and friends, Melinda enjoyed worshipping at church, shopping for Christmas presents, and visiting Momma and Daddy’s house in Mt. Judea, where she spent holidays and weekends with her friends and family. She was so very loved, and words cannot express how much she will be missed. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, R.L. & Gertie (Holt) Bryant and Garland & Nancy (Criner) Smith; her father-in-law, Carl Louis Cook; and her step-father-in-law, Gene Talbert. She is survived by her loving husband of 29 years, Craig Lewis Cook; their beautiful children, Jayden Jo Cook and Cassandra LouAnn Cook of Ozark, Arkansas; her parents, Murl Lewis & Beverly Ann (Smith) Bryant of Mt. Judea, Arkansas; her sister, Sandra “Sandy” Ann Bryant of Conway, Arkansas; her brother-in-law, Rodney Alan Cook of Tamuing, Guam; her mother-in-law, Linda (Johnson) Cook Talbert, of Ozark; and countless other loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and family members. Visitation will be held from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, December 18, 2020 at Shaffer Funeral Home in Ozark, AR. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, December 19, 2020 at the Calvary Baptist Church located at 1504 W. School Street, Ozark, Arkansas with Jim Lane officiating. Graveside service and burial will be held later that afternoon at 3:00 P.M. at the Smith Cemetery in Vendor, Arkansas. Pallbearers will be Todd Durning, Greg Grice, Mark Leding, Jim Rofkar, Dusty Middleton, Jimmy Holt, Brinkley Cook-Campbell, and Scottie Smith. Honorary Pallbearers will be Rodney Alan Cook, Matt Grice, Ben Grice, Nick Grice, and Mike Smith, as well as all of her coworkers and friends. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the school at Calvary Baptist Church in Ozark, the Ozark Area Youth Organization (OAYO) soccer program, and the drama & theater program at Ozark High School. Online guest book: https://www.shafferfuneralhomeweb.com/