Jeanine Yvonne Cook, 79, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 3rd in Antioch, CA. She was baptized a Catholic as Marie Jeanine Germaine Yvonne Deslandes. Jeanine was born November 5, 1941 in Jay, Vermont, on the Canadian border, to two French Canadian immigrants from Quebec, Lucien Ovide Deslandes and Laurianne Marie Meunier Deslandes. Her native tongue was French which was all she spoke until age six when she went to school. The Deslandes's moved the six miles down from the mountain to Troy, where they owned and operated a meat market, for Jeanine to attend Orleans County schools and ultimately graduate from Sacred Heart High School in Newport, VT. She grew up as an only child until her teen years when her brother Norm and then sister Lucy were born.

Jeanine left Vermont immediately upon graduation to join her best friend, Pauline Gibeault, in Middletown, CT where she gave birth to and offered for adoption her first daughter, Linda. She then moved to Portsmouth, NH where she met and married Ronald Ambrose of Redwood City, CA, who was stationed in NH at Pease Air Force Base. Jeanine and Ron had two children, Donna and Dale. Being military they spent time stationed in the Netherlands and Bangor, Maine. Jeanine, Donna and Dale were all extremely fond of the Ambrose family, and she chose to live nearby them in Redwood City, California in 1967 upon her divorce from Ron.

Jeanine was living and working in the Bay Area when she met and married the love of her life, Donald Cook, in 1971. Together they ran their own scaffolding company and raised Jeanine's two children and Don's four: Don Jr., Ron, Lon, and Sherry. They lived happily for many years in Morgan Hill where they built their own house, the entire family living in a motorhome for a couple of months. They enjoyed traveling in the motor home and boating on the bay in their huge boat. When they became empty nesters they moved to Bethel Island and built another home that allowed them to better enjoy their boat. They downsized in 1996 by moving to Antioch and buying a project house. They were then able to enjoy many years of cruises, vacationing in the RV, and having kids and LOTS of grandkids for company.

Jeanine grew up downhill skiing and claimed Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" as her favorite holiday song, played piano, embroidered, sewed, and crocheted. She made many a blanket, beautiful crocheted doll dresses, and doilies that she gifted to many family members and friends. She also enjoyed mystery and romance novels, and loved animals. She kept Shitzu dogs as companions as well as multiple house cats, while also feeding the feral cats in her neighborhood.

She suffered a serious fall from a horse in her 30's which resulted in a lifelong battle with back and leg pain. Finally less than a month ago, her ferocious will and desire to no longer live in pain and without her beloved Don, who died in 2014, made her stop eating, drinking, and taking medications for infections ravaging her system. She was determined to die as she fought to live, by her own choices and actions.

Jeanine is survived by her children Donna Robinson (husband Mike) of Ten Sleep, WY; Dale Cook (wife Rochelle) of Morgan Hill, CA; Linda Nelson (partner Judith Jerome) of Deer Isle, ME; and Sherry Sigala (husband David) of Ceres, CA; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; as well as her sister, Lucy LaPan (husband Randy) and their children and her brother Norman Deslandes all of Swanton, VT. She was predeceased by her parents; husband Donald Cook; sons Ron and Lonnie Cook; and her twin nephews Mike and Mitch Cook.

There will be a graveside service and celebration of Jeanine's life Wednesday, September 15 th at 11:00 a.m. at Mount Hope Memorial Park in Morgan Hill, CA. Flowers can be sent to Habing Family Funeral Home in Gilroy. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her name to Catholic Charities or your local Veteran's Home.