With profound sadness, we share the passing of Patricia 'Penny' Ann Cooke, 68, on Monday, November 10, 2025. She was born in Greenfield, Indiana, and moved to St. Petersburg in 1971 at the age of 13 from her hometown of Knightstown, Indiana. Though she built her life and career in Florida, she always carried the Hoosier spirit of Indiana with her always.

Penny dedicated her life to public service. In 1978, she broke barriers as the fifth female ever hired by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, where she proudly served her community for 27 years. She retired as a lieutenant in 2005. Even after retirement, her commitment to the community never faded. Her retirement was only in name; soon after, she began to serve as the agency's Archive Historian, preserving its legacy and sharing its stories through history presentations across the county and with new academy classes.

She was raised Methodist and carried those values of service, compassion, and grace throughout her life. Penny was also deeply passionate about preserving law enforcement history and respecting the service of retirees. She was the creator and administrator of the popular Facebook group "You Know You're an Old LEO/PCSO Deputy If...", which she started nearly 14 years ago to document the people, photographs, and memories of PCSO - particularly those from before 1990. The community of former and current members of the sheriff's office, and as she would say, 'civilians' and connections she built, was one of her greatest joys. It is one of her many legacies that will continue on.

Outside of work, Penny loved to travel - especially to places rich in history. She cherished road trips out west to Monument Valley and Sedona, her visits back home to Indiana, and any destination that offered a story to learn or a landscape to admire. Her appreciation for learning the past and the places that shaped it was a defining quality of who she was.

Penny was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul Franklyn Cooke, who passed away at the age of 65.

She is survived by her brother, Kenneth Monroe Larmore, 76; her sister, Mary Katherine Larmore, 75; and her only child, her daughter, Mikayla Eleanor Cooke, 26. She is also remembered lovingly by extended family, lifelong friends, former colleagues, and the countless members of the law enforcement community whose lives she touched.

Donations may be made in her honor to any local, state, or national organizations supporting mental health awareness or research. Supporting this work helps honor Penny's memory and ensures that others facing similar struggles receive the compassion, resources, and hope they deserve.

A service to honor Penny's life will be held Monday, November 24, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at Lewis W. Mohn Funeral Home, 9700 Seminole Blvd, Seminole, FL 33772.