Carl James Cook-Life Sketch Part 2

Life Sketch of Carl James Cook

Zelda Irene (Hix) Cook

1909-1966

         On June 28, 1948, his first son was born and named Richard Carl, after having two daughters it made him proud to have a son.  

In late summer of 1951 Carl suffered a heart attack and was laid up for several months, but was able to drive tractor to dig potatoes  in the fall and that made him happy.

On May 23, 1952 another daughter, Loralee, joined the family and on September 21, 1955, another son, Rulan Jay, was born.

In about 1957 Carl was able to purchase 61 acres of ground across the road from his farm located in Jefferson County. The land all watered out of the same Burgess Canal and was purchased for $29,000. The Bonneville property was mortgaged to purchase the Jefferson County property. Farm crops were quite low and this property was much harder to make the payments on. The State of Idaho wanted to buy 25 acres for a gravel pit as they were building Interstate 1-15 and the acreage was sold to the state and the profit helped catch up on the mortgage payments and he also was able to buy a two-bedroom house from Max Brinton and moved it to a partial basement that the family was living in. The top two rooms adjacent to the basement had to be moved away. This house was fixed up and made a very comfortable home for his family. This was the first bathroom they had indoors, they had had hot and cold water before, but not an indoor bathroom.

On April Fool's Day in 1964, Carl and Rick were feeding cattle from a high hay stack on the Jefferson County property when he lost his balance and fell and broke his leg in two places. He was in the hospital for two weeks and laid up for the summer. It was spring time and his friends and neighbors pitched in and prepared the ground for 21 acres of potatoes, they did the job in some 3 1/2 hours. Earlier, another group of neighbors prepared and planted the grain. He was able to help care for the crops and to harvest them.

         On another occasion on September 13, 1965, he had an encounter with a mean bull that shoved him from one farm dike to the other breaking six ribs. The bull knocked him down and he remembered little else. Nevertheless, the bull was sold. He spent a week in the hospital this time.

         In 1956 Carl served as Deacon's Quorum advisor in the Co1tman Ward and in 1958 he was called as Assistant Ward Clerk and later served as Ward Clerk for eight years with Bishop Eldon L. Ward and Bishop Albert Rasmussen. He was released February 27, 1966. After the encounter with the bull, his health was never the same.

         Carl always had time to stop and visit with friends and neighbors. He was proud of his family and always tried to participate with them in their school and Church activities. He had the patience of Job with his children.

         Around the first of April 1966 Carl and Zelda took Clinton Perry and Janae (C1inton and Janae were later married in May) to Cardston, Canada. Clinton was to be the best man at a friend's wedding. Carl had just purchased his third new automobile, a 1966 Impala Chevrolet. Carl and Zelda sorta went along as chaperons but had an enjoyable time.
        He bought his first car in 1949, it was a Maroon colored Plymouth and the second car was a 1959 ye1low push button Plymouth.

        Carl saw his first daughter, Janae, marry Clinton Perry in the Idaho Falls Temple and was very proud of her.            

        On September 21, 1966, Rulan's eleventh birthday, the family had a birthday supper at home and Carl walked outside for a few minutes then came back into the house to see if Zelda needed the car, as it was left on the carport. She told him she had to pick up some other ladies and go to a Stake MIA Leadership meeting. He turned to her and said as he went out the back porch, “It sure is a beautiful evening out there,".

        He went to his new potato cellar that he had been building and where Rulan and Debra Jacobs, a neighbor friend, were playing. Rulan had received some new parts for his bicycle for his birthday and they were riding up and down the potato cellar. A few minutes later Debra came running in the house and told Loralee that something had happened to her Dad and Loralee and Zelda ran quickly to the cellar where Carl was slumped half way up against the west cellar wall. The kids ran to the neighbors for help, but Carl had died instantly of a massive heart attack.

           Carl was a hard worker and raised very good crops, he always grew a good crop of potatoes 

and was always trying to improve his farming operations. He arose bright and early every morning and worked until late in the evenings. In the summer he was always wearing his irrigating boots, keeping the soil just right was his constant worry. He was very fussy about getting them planted on time and harvesting at just the right time. 

        Carl was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on August 3, 1918 at LaBelle, Idaho.

        He was ordained a Deacon on 2 May 1921 by Winfield Hurst at Shelley, Idaho. He was ordained a Teacher on 3 March 1924 by Edwin Allen at Ucon, Idaho. He was ordained a Priest on 4 April 1927 by Gottfried Stucki at Coltman, Idaho and was ordained an Elder on 15 October 1939 by N.C.A. Jorgensen at Roberts, Idaho.

        Carl's parents both preceded him in death. His father James Edward died on 20 October 1960 and his mother Christina Buchmiller Cook died on 23 December 1964. His brother Virgil died on 26 February 1939 and the thirteenth child in the family was stillborn on 10 September 1930.

             At the time of his death he was survived by his wife, Zelda and four children; Janae, Richard, L      Loralee and Rulan.            

                                               Brother and Sisters surviving were:

                                               Mrs. Agnes Levin, Roberts, Idaho
                                               Mrs. Edna Ririe, Ririe, Idaho
                                               Cleo Cook, Menan

                                               Mrs. Vendetta Wilson, Rigby, Idaho
                                               Mrs. Verla Hix, Coltman, Idaho

                                               Mrs. Lila Christensen, Lewisville, Idaho
                                               Mrs. Leora Fugal, Nampa, Idaho

                                               Mrs. Reva Maas, Terreton,Idaho

                                               Mrs. Melba Maas, Roberts, Idaho

                                               Mrs. Theola Simmons, Terreton, Idaho