In 2003, Midwest couple Steve and Sheila Cook came to the Keys on vacation and, for all intents and purposes, didn’t leave for 20 years. In the process, they became so popular that Steve literally became the mayor of Marathon and Sheila established herself as a leader in the arts community.
Now they have moved back to Missouri, where they are originally from, to be closer to their three children and nine grandchildren. And while their friends certainly don’t begrudge them that, they sure do miss Sheila and Steve.
“It is extremely difficult to put into words the impact Steve and Sheila made to Marathon and to me personally,” said Monroe County commissioner Michelle Lincoln. “They both showered me with love and encouragement. They did this to everyone.”
“They each contributed immensely to the culture and art of the city,” said Marathon City Manager George Garrett.
Marathon Church of God pastor Nick Vaughn, and his wife, Meghan, wrote to say, “We will miss them dearly. What they have done to bless our lives and our community is immeasurable.”
“Personally, I will never forget their generosity when it came to our Fishermen’s Community Hospital,” said Daniel Samess, CEO of Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce. “Prior to Baptist coming in, we were in a difficult place financially. I went to Steve and Sheila as a board member of the hospital. Steve literally said, ‘Whatever we can do, Daniel – whatever it takes.’”
Their friends confided that while the Cooks’ public philanthropic efforts stood out, they also anonymously supported many people in need.
“They feel strongly about forgiveness and giving second and third chances to people,” said close friend Shane Wiebe.
The Keys Weekly called Steve and Sheila while they were busy unpacking boxes in their new home in the lake town of Camdenton, Missouri. They were happy to take a moment to talk about Marathon.
“We love Marathon with our whole heart,” said Sheila.
“It was tough to leave,” said Steve, who confessed that “it isn’t our style” to talk about their accomplishments.
When told that the community is grateful to them, he replied, “We just like to make things better than we found it.”
“Both of us are givers,” said Sheila. “That’s what endeared me to Steve and why we make such a great team.”
The couple first met at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, where they both were enrolled in the theater program. After college, while raising their children, Sheila continued to work in theater and Steve’s pursuits included helping to create The Hunt Club, a lodge built on 16,000 acres of wildlife preserve in southern Illinois.
The Cooks said they have been blessed with good fortune and are committed to paying it forward.
“My dad, who passed when I was a child, absolutely embodied the idea that if you have the ability or the means, you have the obligation to help somebody,” said Steve.
“If you have extra, you have a great responsibility,” said Sheila. “It’s God’s word. We are to give and to share, and that is a way of love.”
When their youngest child went to college, the couple booked a vacation in the Keys. They fell in love with the area and bought a home in Key Colony Beach in August 2003. Shortly afterward, they purchased a five-acre property in Marathon and spent three years converting it into a resort-style home called “The Bait Shack.”
The Cooks donated The Bait Shack as a venue for countless fundraisers that benefited nonprofits such as Fishermen’s Hospital, Zonta, the FKSPCA and the Arts Council.
Along the way, Sheila created The Art Studio, where she provided low-cost art classes to children and a space for gatherings such as her women’s Bible study.
One night, Steve recalled, he attended a dinner with friends that changed his life.
“We were overserved,” he said, jokingly. His friends started cajoling him into running for Marathon City Council.
Steve breezily won the election, and served on the council through the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and as mayor during COVID. Friends commended his leadership during these challenging times.
“He would give encouragement on Facebook,” said Shane’s wife Lisa Wiebe. “He would say, ‘We can do this!’ … Their impact on Marathon will never be forgotten because they invested heart and soul into the people of our community, and that lives on forever. We are forever grateful.”
In the end, friends Catherine and Michael Dunn said even just hanging out with them is enough of a gift in itself.
“Sheila is my best friend,” said Catherine. “Whether it’s five minutes, five hours or five days, I’ll take any time with her. One special evening, we stood in the driveway talking while the sun went down. It was just seven minutes. I’ll take that.”
