Former Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke was honored and thanked for her service by the Washington State Senate in a resolution sponsored by Sen. Joe Fain, who represents parts of South King County including Kent. Cooke (right) was joined by her mother Virginia Allen in the Senate Chamber.
In the midst of a busy legislative session on Thursday (Mar. 1), the Washington State Senate took a few moments to honor and thank former Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke for her decades of service to the Kent community.
Sen. Joe Fain sponsored the resolution, which was approved by the Senate with Cooke in attendance at the Capitol in Olympia.
“Suzette Cooke has been an incredible ambassador and advocate for the people of Kent,” said Fain, who represents parts of South King County including Kent, Auburn, Covington, Renton and Federal Way. “The Kent community faced a variety of challenges over the last decade ranging from the economic downturn and major flooding, to adding almost 35,000 new residents since 2010. Suzette navigated each of these difficult issues and always sought to find solutions that worked for everyone. I am incredibly thankful for her service not only as mayor, but also her work to support senior citizens and people with developmental disabilities.”
Cooke finished her third term as Kent mayor in December after leading Washington’s sixth largest city for the past 12 years. Cooke’s community leadership spanned decades before that including work as the director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Kent Senior Center. She also served three terms in the state House of Representatives for the 47th Legislative District.
The resolution approved by the Senate can be read in its entirety here (PDF file), or below:
