Evelyn Jane Cook Warnick
Evelyn Jane Cook Warnick
1929 ~ 2024
Evelyn Jane Cook Warnick, age 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on April 15, 2024.
Born Nov. 18, 1929, to Andrew and Angeline (Jankowski) Cook in Saginaw, Mich., Jane spent her growing up years weathering the Great Depression and World War II. She helped out in the family store and café and, during cold Michigan winters, loved to ice skate at a nearby park. She also learned to play very well on an old player piano at home, a talent she continued to develop and carry through the rest of her life.
After graduation from Saginaw High School and a secretarial job at a local trucking company, Jane enlisted in the United States Air Force, a rarity for a young woman then. During her 3 1/2 years of service, it became apparent there was at least one good reason why — while stationed in Newfoundland, Canada, she met a handsome young cadet from Montana named Loyd J. Warnick. Over the next few years, they fell in love, she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she went home to Saginaw for more than a year while Loyd completed officer training and flight school. At last they married on Sept. 17, 1954, in the Salt Lake Temple.
An adventurous military career followed with postings in Sacramento, Calif. (twice); Okinawa, Japan; Ontario, Calif.; Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.; and Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Jane also stayed home with four young children while Loyd completed a tour of duty in 1968-69 during the Vietnam War.
After Loyd’s retirement from the Air Force in 1977, the couple lived in Taylorsville, Utah (multiple times); Upland, California; Rexburg, Idaho; and, finally, in Highland, Utah.
Jane served in every LDS Church auxiliary organization, frequently contributed her musical skills and provided loyal partnership to Loyd during his multiple tours of duty as bishop and, from 1987-96 as president of the Taylorsville Utah North Stake. Loyd and Jane filled LDS church service missions together after retirement and served in multiple temples in Utah and Idaho.
Jane’s chief interests were her family and ever-growing posterity, but she was renowned for quickly developing expertise in such diverse areas as cake decorating and Chinese cuisine. And she was renowned for dressing up in costume, for many years with her great friend Nedra Curtis, and serenading lucky recipients for their birthdays or other special occasions, including once for Loyd’s twin brother, Boyd, on the floor of the Utah Legislature. She also is a recording artist, producing a CD of mostly ragtime piano duets with Nedra.
Jane was preceded in death by her soulmate and husband of 64 years, Loyd; and sisters June Corbo and Delphine Turner. She is survived by children Lee (Lori) Warnick of Rexburg, Idaho; Cheryl (Bill) Tucker of Roxborough Park, Colo.; Lisa (Dave) McFadden of Lehi, Utah; Debbie
(Gordon) Fausett of Taylorsville, Utah; and Jay (Emily) Warnick of Lehi, Utah; also 21 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.
The family offers special thanks to the compassionate and dedicated employees of Dignity Home Health, who provided valued hospice services in the final weeks of Jane’s life, particularly her nurse, Amber, and Jazmin, her health aide. Funeral arrangements are being provided by Warenski Funeral Home of American Fork, Utah.
Funeral services will be Monday, April 22, 2024 at 11:00 am in the Highland 13th Ward Chapel, located at 5848 West 11000 North, Highland, Utah. Family and friends may call on Sunday evening April 21, 2024 from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Highland 13th Ward Chapel, and again Monday at 9:00-10:30 am at the church prior to the funeral services. Interment will be at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery.