Susie Baldridge Cook

Susie Baldridge Cook passed peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of May 28, 2025 in Yorba Linda, California at the age of 98. She is survived by her daughter Wynette Cook Augustine (Greg), her grandchildren Jason Augustine (Amber) and Dallas Augustine, her great grandson Cameron Augustine, her brother Noel Baldridge of Batesville, Arkansas and her stepsister Patsy Fielder. She was predeceased by her husband of 74 years, Charles Wyatt Cook, her older sister Mary Nathalie Frazier, her younger brother O.L. Baldridge, Jr., aka Doc and her half-sister Barbara Knight.

Susie was born on September 9, 1926 in a small, white clapboard house in Black Oak, Arkansas to Otis Lee Baldridge and Carrie Orlena (Smith) Baldridge. Both her parents had been teachers and her father went on to serve as the local pharmacist and veterinarian. Her older sister Nathalie became her best friend, companion and protector growing up. In 1927 an event happened which would impact Susie’s life in many ways, both good and bad. Her mother went out back to check on the chickens and left Nathalie and Susie playing on the kitchen floor. Susie crawled to the stove and shook embers on her wool flannel slip and dress which caught fire. When her mother returned Susie was rolling on the floor trying to put the fire out. Her parents took her to the local doctor, as the nearest hospital was over 30 miles away. She suffered third degree burns on her face, hands and arms and there was doubt whether she would survive. Her mom spent many hours rubbing olive oil on the burns and she eventually healed. The scarring caused her emotional pain from being called scar face by other children at school and being constantly stared at by strangers. Ultimately Susie developed a very headstrong personality and a stubborn streak that let her face life head on.

In 1930 the family moved to the nearby town of Caraway where her father opened a pharmacy. Susie was a tomboy and not interested in domestic activities. Her sister Nathalie would help her mom out in the house and Susie would go to the drug store to help her father run the store. There store had a soda fountain running along one wall. To serve a customer Susie would hop up on the counter to be able to reach the ice cream. Her father would often leave her in charge of the store if he was called away to attend to an animal in his role as the local veterinarian.

Susie started first grade at the age of five because there wasn’t a kindergarten. She was double promoted in second grade which resulted in Susie being younger than her classmates. At Central High School Susie played basketball, softball and ran track. She was very involved in leadership and held many offices including President her senior year. After graduating she attended Arkansas State University and decided to enter the field of education. In May of 1944 she returned to Caraway to teach school due to the shortage of teachers during World War II. Her salary was $100 per month. In September 1945 she returned to college. While in college she joined a sorority and lived in the sorority house. Susie made spending money singing at weddings and fronting a big band. Susie liked to say she lived on peanut butter and ritz crackers during college because she had to live on a budget. While she was living at the sorority house her group of friends were dating a group of fraternity brothers. Another fraternity decided to break up this dating situation and date the sorority sisters. This is how she came to date Charles, her future husband. Ten couples from the houses got married and stayed lifelong friends. Susie graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a minor in Music in May, 1947. She and Charles married in January 25,1948 and lived in Jonesboro until Charles graduated.

The newlyweds returned to Caraway where Susie taught and Charles was a local principal as well as working in a cotton gin at night. It was here that they bought there first house. They did all the work on the house as their meager budget wouldn’t allow them to hire outside help. In late 1954 Susie became pregnant. They decided they couldn’t support a growing family on their limited income in Arkansas as they wanted Susie to stay at home until their child started school. Charles moved to California to teach and Susie followed at the end of the semester.

Susie and Charles lived in Belmont Shores, California and welcomed their daughter Wynette in July, 1955. Charles continued to teach and also work at the newly opened Disneyland. In 1956 they purchased a new home in Buena Park, California where they lived for 10 years. Susie returned to the work force in 1960 teaching PE at Fremont Junior High School. Her next career move was to Walker Junior High School as a counselor. When Kennedy High School was built across the street she was recruited by the principal and spent the next twenty years as a counselor. It was in counseling students that she found her true calling. Susie loved her students and found joy and fulfillment in helping to shape young lives.

Never one to sit still after retirement, Susie took up golf and excelled in her new sport. In 2002 Susie and Charles moved to a house on a golf course at Heritage Palms in Indio. After four years they moved to a golf course community in Sun Lakes, Arizona. In typical Susie style she immediately made new friends and joined the women’s golf groups. Susie played golf into her nineties until arthritis in her hands prevented her from playing.

Susie’s true love and source of pride was her family. She loved being a mother. She was very involved in Wynette’s life as she was growing up and later this carried over to her grandchildren as well. She loved watching them grow up and attended all their activities, whether it was baseball for Jason or dance for Dallas. Susie loved her extended family and sometimes filled the role of matriarch. She played matchmaker to cousin and was counselor to many. Her ability to love and care was limitless. Susie will be deeply missed by her family and all those whose lives she touched.

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