John Wesley Cook

Lenoir – Mr. John Wesley Cook, age 93, of Lenoir, made his Heavenly Journey, Saturday, January 2, 2016 from Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care in Hudson. Born December 18, 1922 in McComb, Mississippi, he was a son of the late Henry and Bitha Rockco Cook. Other than his parents, he is preceded in death by a brother James and a sister Mamie. John lived most of his growing up years in Pascagoula, Mississippi where he graduated from Pascagoula High School and then attended Bowling Greene Business School in Kentucky until the beginning of WWII. He was called into service with the Army Air Corps during WWII and served in General Douglas MacArthur’s liberation of the Philippines, then was a part of the Pacific forces that eventually found their way to Japan by the end of the war. John returned home to attend Mississippi State University where he graduated with a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1950, including being in the Honor Fraternity Tau Beta Phi and in the ROTC Scabbard & Blade honor society. John met Frances Sims of Cleveland, MS, while attending Mississippi State and they married in 1949 just before his graduation from college. He and Frances parented five sons, John F. Cook and wife Carla of Spruce Pine, David B. Cook of Dahlonega, GA, Ken Cook and wife Barbara of Suwanee, GA, Joel B. Cook and wife Gina of Taylorsville and Mike Cook and wife Sonya of Lenoir. He is also survived by three brothers, Jack Cook of Dothan AL; Jerry Cook of Mobile, AL; Jimmy Cook of Gulfport, MS; three sisters, Mary Kelley of Little Rock, AR; Jean Canaday of Pascagoula, MS; Shirley Farmer of Pascagoula MS and 15 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. John began his career with Southern Bell Telephone in 1950 and in 1951 was recalled to active duty with the United States Air Force. He was sent to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston where he was trained in meteorology and then deployed to Frankfurt, Germany for three years as a weather forecaster for pilots flying out of Frankfurt and the Rheine Main Air Force Base and other areas in Europe. Upon returning to the United States in 1954, he continued his career with Southern Bell while still maintaining his involvement in the US Air Force Reserves. He retired as a US Air Force Reserves Major after completing his 20 years of Military service in 1967. John’s tenure with Southern Bell relocated their family to Jackson and Meridian, MS, Atlanta, GA, Charlotte and finally Lenoir, NC in 1971, where he served as District Engineer for the newly created Lenoir Service District. He retired in 1983, giving them 33 years of faithful service. In his retirement, John and Frances have enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Canada, even completing two trips to Alaska, driving the Alaskan Highway. After moving to Happy Valley in 1971, John, Frances, and family joined Yadkin Baptist Church. It did not take long for John to become very involved in the churches’ ministry. John was ordained a Deacon in the mid 1960’s while attending Commonwealth Baptist Church in Charlotte. He was elected to serve as Deacon at Yadkin Baptist Church in October 1972, and enjoyed the designation of Life Deacon, receiving that honor on November 14, 1993. The Cook’s and their five sons have enjoyed being involved in many, many aspects of the church and community during their blessed ministry in the Happy Valley area. John has actively participated in the Church, serving in the Deacon Family Ministry, since its inception. He served as Sunday School Teacher and Sunday School Superintendant. John has always been very active in the Brotherhood Program, serving on its Handyman Team, and Christmas Visitation Team. John has been a choir member and on various committees and other areas of service as needed. A dedicated Christian, John was always a willing, and capable servant, always serving through spiritual, physical, and financial support of God’s work at Yadkin Baptist Church. John also participated in the community serving in the Happy Valley Ruritan Club and the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce. John and his sons have been long time supporters of the Boy Scouts of America. He maintained active participation in the Telephone Pioneers, a service organization of the telephone company. A celebration of John’s life will be held 1:00 PM Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at Yadkin Baptist Church with Reverend Henry Cook, Reverend Robert Livingston and Reverend Stuart White officiating. Burial will follow with military honors in the Yadkin Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 11:00 until 12:45 in the Church Sanctuary. Pallbearers will be Mr. Cook’s grandsons, Jason Cook, Matt Cook, Avery Cook, Mason Suddreth, Morgan Suddreth and John Al Harrison. Honorary Pallbearers will be Mr. Cook’s Sunday School Class. The family respectfully requests memorials be made to Caldwell Hospice & Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood Street, Lenoir, NC 28645 or to Yadkin Baptist Church, 2044 Roby Martin Road, Lenoir, NC 28645. Online condolences may be sent to the Cook Family at www.evansfuneralservice.com Evans Funeral Service & Crematory of Lenoir is serving the Cook Family.