Patricia Irene "Pati" Cooke

Patricia Kos Cooke, devoted wife, sister, aunt, cousin and friend to many passed away on July 18, 2025 at Parkwest Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee after a long-fought health battle. She was born into a military family at Fort Eustis, Virginia to parents Frank Kos Sr. and Beulah Mae Hargis Kos and raised in South Fayette Township outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pati graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and settled in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains on their farm, Halcyon Hills, while also holding hard and fast to her Pittsburgh roots.

Pati's life was a testament to strength, resilience, compassion, generosity and selflessness to all who knew her. She had a giving heart far beyond herself, loved people, animals and flowers. Her great joy was outside, rain or shine, with bare feet and hands in the dirt or engaging with anyone she met, getting to know them by truly listening to what they had to say. She relished human connection, especially with family whether just talking, watching movies, playing board games, doing crossword/jigsaw puzzles, listening to music (especially the Beatles), taking folks to Dollywood or just taking a walk, almost always with her devoted fur-baby companion Rosie.

Pati was a very pretty lady with a beautiful smile. Her favorite color was green, like her eyes, like nature. She enjoyed laying on top of the picnic table to watch a meteor shower or gaze at the moon. Her desire to benefit the world and future generations led to one of her biggest passions: recycling and composting whatever she could. Pati's political activism and her stand on social justice was woven into her very essence from an early age and she was not afraid to debate the issue. She loved a simple, slow life, was proud of her Cherokee and Slovenian heritage, could polka the night away or do Michael Jackson's Thriller dance in full zombie costume on Halloween. She loved knowledge and was willing to share what she knew to make the person and the world even a little bit better.

Pati was preceded in death by her parents, brother and sister-in-law (Frank Jr & Ratamanee Kos), brother-in-law (James H Walker), nephew (Kittipong (Keith) Promsakha), other family and dear friends. She is survived by her husband of 51 years (Anthony Dale Cooke), brother & sister-in-law (Ronald & Patricia Kos of Woodstock GA), sister (Pamela Kos Walker of California), sister (Margaret Kos Hess of Columbia SC), and many nieces, nephews and cousins. The family would like to thank the nurses who cared for Pati in the CCU, most notably her final nurses Will, Sara, Andrew and Maggie who were not only her strongest advocates but also supported the family. Special heartfelt mention of her physician and dear friend Dr Nicholas Xenopoulous as well as Dr Hesamm Gharavi, who gave the world more years with her than one would have thought possible after her third cancer diagnosis 11 years ago. In lieu of food and flowers the family asks for donations to: Animal Shelter or Rescue of your choice, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Friends of the Smokies and The Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ).