Naomi June "June" Root, daughter of James B. (1908-1973) and Myrtle Hattie (Shattuck) (1907-1930) Root, was born 24 January 1927, Ingham County, Michigan. Jean was twin to Leona Jean "Jean" Root. The girls both attended Okemos Consolidated School but only June graduated in 1945.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) 11 September 1929
LANSING TWINS ARE STATE FAIR WINNERS
Leona Jean and Naomi June, two-and-a-half-year-old twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. James B. Root, 608 East Main street, received Wednesday the prizes for being the best twins between the ages of two and three years in the state as judged at the Better Babies' contest held at the Michigan State Fair at Detroit. The twins received a $10 gold piece and the blue ribbons for taking first place in the contest.
The twins lost their 22 year old mother to a pulmonary embolism in 1930. Widowed with twin daughters, their father moved in an uncle, Lee J. Hulett (1889-1986). Lee was close to both girls and actually stood in James place, while James served in the US Navy during World War II, when June married in 1945.
Jean married Harold D. Cook 4 September 1943, Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan. Harold was born 25 April 1922. He had just joined the US Army prior to their marriage.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 30 August 1944
Friends of Lieut. and Mrs. Harold Cook will be interest in the announcement of the arrival of James Lee, born August 21 at a Benton Harbor hospital. Mrs. Cook was formerly Miss Jean Root, who lived with her uncle, Lee Hulett on Cavanaugh road, and was a student of the Okemos high school. Lieutenant Cook is stationed at a camp in Florida.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Tuesday 14 November 1944
Lieut. Harold Cook, Mrs. Cook and James Lee, are at the Lee Hulett home, arriving from Florida where he has been stationed. He expects to be assigned to overseas action at the end of his leave.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Saturday 20 January 1945
MISSING IN ACTION
Second Lieut. Harold d. Cook, 21, who has been serving in France since last November, has been missing in action since December 27, the war department notified his wife, Leona J. Cook, who, with her five-months-old son, James Lee, lives at R. 2, Cavanaugh road. Graduating from Three Oaks high school, the young man attended Michigan state college where he was in an R.O.T.C. field artillery company before entering the service in June 1943. He completed his basic training at Fort Bragg, N.C., and was commissioned at Fort Sill, Okla., May 6, 1944. He then took a basic officer's coarse at Fort Benning, Ga., and served as instructor for three months at Camp Blanding, Fla. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Cook of Lakeside.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Monday 4 June 1945
Mrs. Cook was informed in a telegram from the war department Saturday, that her husband, Second Lieut. Harold Cook, had been released April 29, from Oflag 13-B and had been returned to military control.
Overseas since the first of last December, Lieutenant Cook was taken prisoner December 27, at Luxembourg, while serving as an infantry replacement. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Cook Benton Harbor.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Sunday 26 August 1945
COOK - Second Lieut. Harold d. Cook, husband of Mrs. Leona Cook, 3328 East Michigan avenue, has been admitted to the army air forces regional and convalescent hospital, in Miami, Fla., district, for treatment and rest.
Harold did come back home!
Jean died 10 July 2007. Harold died 26 June 2016 in Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, Kent County, Michigan. Harold and Jean were interred Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
June right after graduation from Okemos married local farmer Robert O. Reese Jr.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 11 July 1945
Miss Phyllis MacAllan entertained 10 friends of Miss June Root at a miscellaneous shower Monday evening. Miss Root will become the bride of Robert Reese Saturday evening at a wedding held in the Homes Street Baptist church. The guest of honor graduated from the Okemos high school this spring and the guests were school friends, Miss Jean Fogle, Miss Phyllis Wever, Miss Lina Tenny, Miss Dorothy Delamarter, Miss Joyce Stillman, Miss Norma Fineout, Miss Alice Weber and Mrs. Harold Cook.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Monday 10 September 1945
REVEAL MARRIAGE OF LOCAL COUPLE
The marriage of Miss June Root to Robert O. Reese, jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Reese, R. 4, Lansing, is announced by her uncle, Lee Hulett, R. 1, Lansing. The marriage was performed July 14 at the Homes Street Baptist church by Rev. Holman Johnson.
The bride was attended by Miss Jean Cook as maid of honor, and Miss Nora Fineout and Miss Arline Ensign as bridesmaids. The bridegroom was attended by Harold Cook and ushers were Ben Arend and Albert Arent.
A reception was held in the church parlors immediately after the service with about 150 guests present.
Robert and June had 4 children. Robert was a dairy farmer. Robert died, age 49, 10 July 1972, Ingham County. June lived until 30 April 2011. Robert and June were interred Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, DeWitt, Clinton County, Michigan.
Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Wednesday 4 May 2011
JUNE REESE
LANSING
June Reese went home to her Lord April 30, 2011 (after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease), at the age of 84.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Jr., her parents, brother and twin sister Jean. She is survived by her children: Nancy (Steve) Nunham; Elaine (Randy) Eddy; Carol Nunham; and Robert (Jackie) Reese; brother-in-law Harold Cook; 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
June was a graduate of Okemos High School, co-founder of Reese Farms, worked at Sears, Oldsmobile, and retired from the Lansing School District. She was a life-long member of Faith Bible Church (Formerly Inter-City Bible Church) and a special member of Calvary Baptist Church. June loved the Lord and asked God every day to take care of her. She was a Sunday school teacher, youth choir director, choir member, 4-H leader and sang in the Lansing Choral Society. June enjoyed music, especially Handel's Messiah, and the laughter of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was sweet, kind, and good-natured to the end.