On July 2, 2011, Gene Cook, a member of the St. Petersburg, Florida, congregation was presented a plaque after Sabbath services by pastor Chuck Zimmerman, commemorating her 50th anniversary of baptism.

Mrs. Cook first heard of Mr. Armstrong through her mother, who had been listening to the radio program since the late 1940s. She requested literature and started the Bible Correspondence Course. After six months of intensive study, she contacted Pasadena for information about baptism.

With no local congregation in Florida, Gene, her husband and their son drove to Lake Okeechobee to meet Hal Baird and David Mills, who were conducting a baptizing tour. After three hours of counseling and learning more about the Church’s doctrines (including its then-teaching on makeup, which brought her to tears), Gene made the commitment and was baptized.She was asked to be a radio monitor for the World Tomorrow broadcast, where she was instructed to listen to the first five words and report to headquarters so as to insure that the local radio station was playing the intended program.

In 1964, two congregations were started in Florida: Miami and Lakeland. Gene and her family drove over 60 miles from St. Petersburg to Lakeland to attend the first service. Despite two flat tires along the way, they made it (albeit a bit late). They became charter members of the Lakeland congregation, which they continued to attend until the St. Petersburg congregation started in 1971.

Over the years Gene has enjoyed many Feast of Tabernacles sites, including nine in Europe and one in Israel. This year she is looking forward to her 51st Feast, which she’ll celebrate in Branson, Missouri.

Mrs. Cook still lives in the St. Petersburg area with her son, Bill, who is also a member of God’s Church.