You could be right, I thought she was a sweet woman. But after all her time in the Military, (cook), she was easily walked all over. That could explain it especially if she didn’t stand up for herself like others would.
On the other hand after she was out and retired, she really blossomed, went to college and last I heard was doing quite well in the Accounting area.
Our ‘Cookie’ was a MS1 who’d been in the Army in Vietnam. Had a Silver Star and a Purple Heart. Used to smoke cigs in the kitchen; always considered myself lucky if I could blow the ashes off my meal (if was chili, we just had to mix it in with the half inch of grease on top).