In Memoriam
Kenneth Cooke (1922 – 2007)

Tony shares the following about his father, Kenneth Cooke, who died on Friday, November 16, 2007.

Dad was born in 1922 on the farm that has been in the family since 1835.  He was the valedictorian of his senior class (he was one of only nine students in his class) and served in the United States Navy (Pacific Theater) during World War II.  He received a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Indiana University, and served as a teacher, principal, and school superintendent.  He retired from his career in education in 1987.

Dad is survived by his wife of 61 years, four sons, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.  As I grew up, we were in church regularly, and Dad served as an elder for many years.  Dad was also involved in Rotary, the United Way, and other organizations. 

Dad was 85 when he died.  He was a big Colts fan and always pulled for the Purdue Boilermakers (he had done additional post-graduate schooling there).  He enjoyed feeding the ducks off his back deck, regularly attended the Men’s Breakfast on Tuesday mornings at Second Presbyterian Church, and loved his family.

In August of this year (2007), I wrote the following to my parents on the occasion of their 61^st anniversary.  Of course, it’s only a fraction of what could have been said, but it conveys the appreciation I’ll always have for my parents.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I’m writing to wish you a very happy 61st anniversary.  At the beginning of my first book, I wrote, “To my parents, Kenneth and Barbara Cooke . . . Thank you for your love and support and for the values you instilled in my life.”

I want to mention a couple of the specific values that I was thinking of, and I want you to know that I truly meant what I said.  Often it’s the little things that really make an impression in one’s life, and I want to mention just a few of the many things that positively impacted me.

Dad, I remember being out in the front yard in Flora as a little kid, and you waved at a family driving by.  I asked you if you knew them, and you said, “No, I was just being friendly.”  That stands out to me as an early lesson in one of the most important of people skills.  I also appreciate the example that you set in the area of diligence and hard work.  Later in life, I heard the phrase, “Life works when we do.”  Long before I heard that, though, I saw you personify it.

Mom, your care for and nurture toward your family was outstanding – not only in the natural areas, but I also remember your encouraging words.  You often passed on kind comments that others had made, and that made me want to live up to them.  Even when you set rules that I thought were unreasonable, I recognized that it was because you cared. 

You both offered support consistently in my various endeavors, whether athletic, academic, or otherwise.  Thank you for creating an atmosphere in which I grew up feeling secure, supported, cared for, and loved.  Thanks also for making me go to church even when I didn’t want to go.  I love you both, and I’m thankful that I grew up in your home.

Love,

Tony

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