John Cook

After a brief illness, John Herman Cook died on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. He was 96 years old.

Born in a house in Ola, Arkansas, July 2, 1918, John grew up in Ola and in Muskogee. After graduating from high school in Ola, a proud Ola Mustang, he joined the US Army, served briefly, and received an honorable medical discharge. Due to the medical condition responsible for his discharge, he was advised that his life expectancy was limited, and that having a family might not be a good choice for him. Unwilling to heed this advice, he decided to ultimately have a family and, to our delight, to live to the ripe old age of 96. He was married 71 years ago to his beloved wife, Vivyan, and together raised their three sons: John, Ken, and Jerry.

John was a union printer for the Muskogee Daily Phoenix and worked at the VA Hospital in Muskogee before joining the Post Office where he worked for 37 years.

At Franklin Elementary, West Jr. High, and Muskogee Central, John and Vivyan volunteered for PTA suppers and cake walks, chaperoned field trips and sock hops, and supported band and athletic events. For years they volunteered for MYF. John had a key to First United Methodist in Muskogee and to Franklin Elementary.

In addition to school and church activities, John was active in Kiwanis and served as president. He held many offices in the Boy Scouts, and in that regard, was most proud of receiving the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award a council can bestow on a volunteer and proud of Jerry for becoming an Eagle Scout. For years he served on the Board of the Muskogee County Health Department, and on the Board of the Cherokee County Board of Health. He was a member of the Masons for over 70 years and was a Shriner and a longtime member of the Elks. He was an active member of NARFE.

John was preceded in death by his wife Vivyan and by two grandsons, Brian Cook and Taylor Cook.

John is survived by his sons and their wives: John and Nancy of Billings, Montana, Ken and Vicki of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Jerry and Barbra of Tahlequah his grandchildren and their spouses: Jason and Robin of Denver, Colorado, Drew of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Kate and Tom of Boston, Massachusetts, Sarah and Craig of Tulsa, and Andy of Verdigris by his great grandchildren: Lauren and Jack of Denver and Elizabeth Vivyan and Catherine Craig of Tulsa: and by his beloved niece Nancy Thomas of La Porte Texas. The family would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Seratt and the nurses, therapists, and caregivers at the Med Center at Go Ye Village for their loving care for and attention to our father, to Papa.

John was good with his hands and, in his prime, could fix almost anything mechanical, anything in a house. He loved a good story and loved to laugh. For example, he enjoyed saying he was the salutatorian of his Ola High School senior class, then hed pause for an appropriate moment before confessing the class consisted of only 12 students. He loved adages and little sayings: dont run with your hands in your pockets or bust your thumb or measure twice, cut once, I thought I was winning the rat race til I ran into a faster rat. He golfed into his 80s, though he had trouble shooting around in the 80s. He wanted to win the lottery so he could pay off the mortgage on the church.

For decades, John was a loyal and active member of First United Methodist Church in Muskogee, and after he retired and moved to Tahlequah, he became a loyal and active member of First United Methodist in Tahlequah. Until August of 2014, he regularly counted money and made deposits for the church. He was a Sunday school teacher and was so involved he again had a key to the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Building Fund, First United Methodist Church, 300 W. Delaware, Tahlequah, OK 74464, or The Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 1367 Tahlequah, OK 74465.

Service

First United Methodist Church
300 W. Delaware
Tahlequah, OK  74464
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
10:00 Am

Cemetery

Green Hill Cemetery
Muskogee, OK  74401

Memorial Contributions

300 W. Delaware
Tahlequah, OK  74464


PO Box 1367
Tahlequah, OK  74465