Mayor John Carney Issues Statement on the Passing of Former Delaware Senator Nancy Cook

Delaware lost one of its finest citizens today. Former Delaware Senator Nancy Cook wasn't just a public servant. She was a force of nature. For 36 years, she represented the 15th District in Kent County with a clarity of purpose that never wavered. She put people first. She was a loyal Democrat, and believed that government should lift people up, and she put that belief into action every single day.

Nancy cared deeply about people and making sure everyone who needed help got it. As the longest-serving Chair of the powerful Joint Finance Committee, she championed many important causes and initiatives while requiring fiscal responsibility because she knew it best protected our future. She guided our state with a steady hand and sharp mind through decades of economic and fiscal challenges. Her leadership helped Delaware earn its first-ever AAA bond rating - a milestone that still shapes our strength today. Senator Cook served with seven governors, and she worked together with each of them, Democrat and Republican. She always had the best interests of the people of Delaware at heart.

Senator Cook understood that the state's success depended on a strong and growing economy and she supported many projects important to progress across the state. She believed in building things that last and she always made sure Kent County got the resources needed to make a difference. Her tireless advocacy for the DE Turf project is just one example of how she saw the potential for economic growth. She understood what investment could mean for families, for children, and for the communities she loved.

For Tracey and me, this loss is personal. Nancy has been a good friend since I first met her when I was a legislative intern in the mid 1980s and as a volunteer on her campaign for Lieutenant Governor in 1988.

Simply put, Senator Cook was special. After she left public office Nancy was someone I went to during the most difficult times. She helped me deal with the challenges of governing with patience, and a kind of wisdom that only comes from decades of service. Her favorite advice was, "just remember tomorrow is another day."

Her legacy will live on in the families she helped, in the classrooms she fought for and the countless Delawareans whose lives are better off because of her work.

May her memory be a blessing, and may her family find comfort in the love and caring she gave to all of us.

Tracey and I offer our condolences to her son, Tom, and his wife, Beth, and to all her family and friends during this difficult time.