Sharon Lou (Desjarlait) Cook of Ignacio, CO, passed away on October 24, 2026, at The Beehive Homes, in Farmington, NM. Born on July 10, 1941, Sharon was the first born out of six siblings to Leo Desjarlait Sr and Louise (Dudley) McDonald.

After high school, Sharon left Red Lake to continue her education through the Public Health Service Nursing Program, in Albuquerque, NM, and Fort Yates, SD. She graduated the program in 1961, ending with her internship at the Shiprock Indian Hospital, Shiprock, NM. It was in Shiprock where she was introduced to Marvin Cook by her friend and future sister-in-law, Patricia Torres. They married in 1962. Sharon provided many years of nursing services to many people in the various cities her and Marvin lived in, including Los Angeles, CA, Farmington, NM, and San Jose, CA, with their final move to Ignacio, CO, in 1980, where she worked for the IHS/Southern Ute Health Center for over 20 years as the Contract Health/Medical Assistant. She retired in 2002.

Sharon was a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians - Red Lake Nation, Redlake, MN. Through the years, she often visited her homeland, enjoying time with her mom, aunt, brothers and sisters and other family members. She loved visiting casinos, in many different states, and she was the luckiest, winningest slot player. She loved to travel, with her and Marvin taking several trips and cruises with life-long friends and with her daughter’s family. She visited many places and there were so many more places she wanted to visit. She absolutely loved the Denver Broncos and had quite the Broncos collection. She loved seeking out the local, majestic eagles who flew around in the wintertime, bringing her luck and prosperity, and had accumulated quite the eagle trinket collection through gifts given to her by family and friends. She loved to listen to music and her old-time country - Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Willie, Waylon, and the Boys, and, of course, Elvis, The Eagles, and Neil Diamond. She often reminisced about her time with her three grandsons during their younger years and the summers they spent with their grandparents, and how much joy they brought to grandma and grandpa. She was always her children and grandchildren’s biggest supporter and always provided for them in times of need and just “because”. She cherished them immensely, as we cherished her for her loving, thoughtful and giving ways. Other causes/concerns and people/friends also benefited from her generosity. After retirement, she loved tending to her flowers in the summer and her houseplants, reading a good murder mystery, browsing the internet, and playing Mahjong on her phone.

Welcoming Sharon home is her son, Brian William Cook. Also, her parents: Leo Desjarlait Sr and Louise (Paige) McDonald; grandparents William Dudley and Bertha (Spears) Dudley; brothers: Stuart Desjarlait, Randall Desjarlait; sisters, Eleanor Desjarlait and Amy Desjarlait; as well as her aunt, Susan Beaulieu, who was her second mother. Also, numerous half-brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles.

Sharon leaves behind the following to cherish the memories: her husband, Marvin; her daughter and son-in-law, Marla and Donald Jones; her son, Daryl Joseph Cook; her brother, Douglas “Jack” Desjarlait; her sister and brother-in-law, Adrienne and Ron Champagne; her three grandsons, Joseph Cook, Takoda Cook, and Evan Jones; and her sisters-in-laws Patricia Torres and Jeannie Cook.

A private family service will be held. Interment will occur at a later date.

The Family of Sharon Cook would like to thank those who provided medical care and loving support to their Wife, Mom, Sister, and Grandma during the last three years, and during her time and struggle with this awful, progressive, debilitating disease.

A special thanks goes to the caregivers at The Beehive Homes, where she was provided with exceptional support and care while making it her home the last few years. She loved you and thought of you as family. Thank you, ladies of Beehive #3, for that care and support! You are amazing caregivers!

Thank you also to Basin Home Health & Hospice for providing exceptional hospice care.