{{Short description|American politician (1936–2026)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Nancy Cook | image = | alt = | state_senate = Delaware | district = 15th | term_start = 1974 | term_end = November 10, 2010 | predecessor = Allen J. Cook | successor = David G. Lawson | birth_date = {{birth date|1936|5|11}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and given age|2026|3|23|89}} | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = {{marriage|Allen J. Cook||1974|end=died}} | alma_mater = | profession = | website = }}
'''Nancy Wilson Cook''' (May 11, 1936 – March 23, 2026) was an American politician who served in the Delaware Senate for the 15th district from 1974 to 2010, as a member of the Democratic Party.<ref name="WHYY">{{cite news |title=Longtime Delaware lawmaker to serve as Kent Co. Register of Wills |url=https://whyy.org/articles/longtime-delaware-lawmaker-to-serve-as-kent-co-register-of-wills/ |access-date=29 August 2025 |work=WHYY |date=October 21, 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303113545/https://whyy.org/articles/longtime-delaware-lawmaker-to-serve-as-kent-co-register-of-wills/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She was elected to the seat in a special election after her husband, Allen Cook, died while in office.<ref name="WHYY"/><ref name="DT">{{cite news |last1=Denison |first1=Doug |title=Newsmaker Q&A: Former state senator Nancy Cook |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2010/11/09/newsmaker-q-former-state-senator/63998804007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z118179e006500v118179b0090xxd119065&gca-ft=141&gca-ds=sophi |access-date=29 August 2025 |work=Delaware Today |date=November 8, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Celia |title=LONG TIME PASSING |url=http://www.delawaregrapevine.com/3-15confirmations.asp |access-date=29 August 2025 |work=Delaware Grapevine |date=March 19, 2015 |archive-date=19 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719051543/http://delawaregrapevine.com/3-15confirmations.asp |url-status=live }}</ref>
Cook was born on May 11, 1936 in Philadelphia, and attended William Penn High School and the University of Delaware.<ref>{{cite web|title=Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2011-pt3/html/CRECB-2011-pt3-Pg3652-2.htm|publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office|access-date=March 24, 2026}}</ref><ref name="sosmanual">{{cite book|title= State Manual Containing Official List of State Officers, Boards and Commissions, and County Officers|year=1973|publisher=Delaware Secretary of State|url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/State_Manual_Containing_Official_List_of/_TxNAQAAMAAJ?hl=en|via=Google Books}}</ref> She was a resident in Kenton, Delaware and a member of the Kent County, Delaware Democratic Committee.<ref name="sosmanual" /><ref name="Rutgers">{{cite web |title=Nancy W. Cook |url=https://cawpdata.rutgers.edu/individual/nancy-cook-14c |website=Center for American Women and Politics |publisher=Rutgers University |access-date=29 August 2025}}</ref> In 2010, Cook ran for reelection and lost to David G. Lawson, flipping the seat from Democratic to Republican.<ref name="WHYY"/><ref name="DT"/> In 2011, Cook was appointed by Governor Jack Markell to the open Kent County Register of Wills position until the following election in 2012.<ref name="WHYY"/>
Cook died on March 23, 2026, at the age of 89.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://baytobaynews.com/stories/nancy-cook-longest-serving-woman-in-delaware-general-assembly-history-dies-at-90,305954 |title=Nancy Cook, Delaware General Assembly's longest-serving woman, dies at 89 |first1=Kaitlyn |last1=Cupelli |date=March 23, 2026 |newspaper=Bay to Bay News |location=Dover, Delaware |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 24, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Flags lowered to half-staff in Delaware in honor of late politician |url=https://eu.delawareonline.com/story/news/2026/03/24/find-out-why-flags-in-delaware-are-at-half-staff-this-week-state-sen-nancy-cook/89298120007/ |access-date=24 March 2026 |publisher=Delaware Online |date=24 March 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Nancy W.}} Category:1936 births Category:Year of birth uncertain Category:2026 deaths Category:20th-century members of the Delaware General Assembly Category:21st-century members of the Delaware General Assembly Category:Women state legislators in Delaware Category:Democratic Party members of the Delaware House of Representatives Category:20th-century American women politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians
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