DR. NATALIE MICHELLE STEM COOK, 35, of Waldorf, MD, died suddenly on Saturday, July 16, 2005, in Maryland. Michelle was born on November 17, 1969, in Raleigh, NC. She graduated from Millbrook High School in 1988 as valedictorian. She received her B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992, and her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University in 1996 and 2001, respectively. Michelle was a loving wife and mother who had compassion for people in need. She had a contagious laugh and a strong Christian faith that was her foundation for life. She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, and was active in South Potomac Church with her family in White Plains, Maryland. Michelle developed a passion for Russian people and their culture and wrote her doctoral thesis on Russian immigration into the Baltimore area. She had recently worked as a policy analyst with Science Applications International Corporation in Alexandria, VA. Michelle loved to sing and was gifted at playing the piano and guitar. She enjoyed volunteering with children, taking photos of family and friends, was a great cook, and had a knack for writing poetry. She loved to hike and take long walks with friends. Michelle is warmly remembered as a beautiful woman who placed the needs of others ahead of her own.

She is survived by her loving husband, Dr. Stephen Price Cook and their beautiful 2 year old daughter, Ava Josephine Cook. She is also survived by her parents, James and Bonnie Sides Stem, her sister and brother in law Angela and Jonathan Mills, her brother J. Ben Stem, her maternal grandmother Elsie B. Sides, her uncle S. D. Small and his wife Carrie all of Raleigh, NC; her paternal grandmother Josephine C. Stem and her aunt and uncle Mary Nell Stem Harris and Arnett Harris of Winston-Salem, NC; and her husband' parents Dr. Maurice and Nancy Cook of Raleigh, NC.