Cook Family History: August 2013

Frank, 1975

Frank always loved sports of any kind. He may not have been tall but he made up for that in determination and hustle. Frank was real competitive and always gave his all for the team. He would rather take an injury than let the other team get an edge. One time while playing second base Frank was determined to stay on the bag and make the tag as a much bigger opponent came sliding into the bag. Frank stood his ground and took the hit. No one remembers whether the other player was safe or out but Frank was out the rest of the season with a broken leg.

Frank attended elementary school in Menan, Rigby Jr. High, and graduated from Rigby High School. From there he attended two years at Ricks College prior to going on a mission. At that time young men were required to be 20 before they could go on missions. So at age 20, he turned in his papers for a mission. Everyone was so excited when Frank got his call. He would be spending the next 2 and a half years in Germany, the home of his Great Grandpa and Grandma Buchmiller.

High School Graduation Picture

Frank while serving in Germany

Mission Picture

After serving his mission, Frank attended BYU and graduated with a degree in German and history. Frank was an excellent student and was on the dean’s list every year. He added to his education by taking correspondence classes from LaSalle earning a degree in accounting.

Frank was a true blue cougar fan. Notice that his family has picked out BYU blue for him this day. Frank hardly ever missed a BYU game. If he couldn’t get it on TV, he would go out in the car or back in the bedroom and listen to the game. Everyone in the house knew how that game was going by how loud Frank was cheering or how loud he was yelling at the referees. Because of his love of BYU and Germany every year for Christmas Ilene always ordered something for Frank that was from Germany and something from BYU. Sometimes the other side of Frank would come out at sporting events. There were times at David’s ball games that Ilene and Steven would get up and go sit in the car because Frank was yelling so loud at the way the game was being officiated. However there was one game that David recalls where Frank didn’t hassle the umpire at all. David was a senior and playing in a baseball game in Idaho Falls. David came up to bat and since he likes to look at the first pitch, he let one go by that was right down the pipe. The ump called, “Ball one.” The other coach came unglued. David couldn’t believe his ears either. He turned to look at the ump. And much to his surprise he discovered it was his Uncle Max behind the plate who had his finger to his lip saying, “Shhh.” Yes that was one game Frank didn’t yell at the ump.

While attending BYU, Frank met a beautiful young lady by the name of Ilene Richards on a blind date to the Prom. While they were dancing, Ilene noticed that no one was dancing close to them. She thought that was quite rude of them. Suddenly a friend came over to them and said they needed to help Ilene a little. She was in a beautiful prom dress that had a hoop underskirt. The hoop had come apart and was sticking straight out, swishing around so that no one could get near to them. They pulled the hoop out and Frank stuck it in one of his sleeves and out the other so that his arms stuck out just like a scarecrow. What a great time they had. But this was only one of many great times that they would have.

Florence Ilene Richards

Five months later they were married. On September 19, 1963, they were sealed for time and eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. Frank had a special name for his bride. He called her Schatz, translated Little Treasure. He truly did treasure her too. They lived in American Fork so that Frank could finish his education at the Y.

Frank’s first job was at J.C. Pennys on Main Street in Salt Lake. On the way home from his graduation at the Y, Ilene’s mother mentioned that J.C. Pennys was look for a manager. Frank pulled into the parking lot, went in, applied for the job and was hired. Thus ended his career as a German History Professor.

On 8 March 1965 their first son was born, Craig Richard Cook. When Craig was born, Frank and Ilene were living in Kearnes in Ilene’s mother’s home while she was in California. She came home to help with the baby. When he was 10 days old, Ilene’s mother told Frank and Ilene to go to bed and she would watch Craig. They heard one cry and that was all. They hurried out of bed and found Craig had stopped breathing. Ilene tried to get help on the phone but couldn't seem to get anyone. Frank took off running barefoot through the snow to the first station that was a block away to get help. They hurried back and got Craig breathing again and then rushed him to the hospital.

Frank, Ilene and Craig

From Ilene’s mother’s home, they moved up on the Avenues. Here they were very close to the Temple and used to take the baby and go to Temple Square quite frequently. While living here, Frank was transferred from the down town store to one in Medvale. So Frank and Ilene moved to Midvale. It was here that their second son was born, David Virgil Cook, on 23 January 1967. David weighed 9 ½ pounds. He was bigger as a baby than Craig was at two years old.

Craig, Frank, and David

Frank was transferred to the J.C. Penny store in Twin Falls, Idaho. So in 1969 they moved to Twin. One night Frank didn't come home from work when he should have. Ilene got more and more worried. She finally called Dave, another manager. He told Ilene that Frank had probably gone over to the church to play basketball or something. Ilene told him that Frank would never do that without calling her. He said to give Frank fifteen more minutes and then to call him and he would go and find Frank. Frank didn't show up so Dave went to the store and found Frank and another worker locked in the bathroom. Someone had held up the store and locked them in the bathroom.

Their third son, Steven Leon Cook, was born 10 April 1972. During Ilene’s labor, Frank kept disappearing. She would look all around and he would be gone. She looked out the window and could see the car in the parking lot so she knew that he hadn’t left. There was another couple in the next room and he would see Ilene looking around for Frank. He asked her if she had lost Frank again. She replied that she had. He told her that Frank as asleep in the waiting room. She would send him to get Frank just to go through the scenario again. You see, Steven was born in the middle of the night after a long Sunday at Church meetings.

Steven, Ilene, Frank, David, and Craig

When Pennys started staying open on Sundays, Frank knew that he would need to find a new job. He had the conviction that working on Sunday was just not the right thing to do. So he found a new job with Greater Idaho. He later went to work for Coca-Cola as an accountant for 13 years, Charmac Trailer for three years and for the past 8 years for MarCon Construction in Nampa.

Virgil Franklin Cook was my oldest brother. I love him so much. He truly was the kind of big brother every little girl deserves. My sister, Joyce and I were privileged to be able to present his life sketch at his funeral. It was an honor and great blessing to be able to do this for our brother. Oh my goodness, how I miss him. We'll meet again someday, Frank. Until then know that you are loved and missed beyond measure.

Life Sketch of Virgil Franklin Cook

Given 5 February 2000

By his sisters: Joyce C. Wilson and Lois C. Berrett

Virgil Franklin Cook was born August 31, 1939 in Rigby, Idaho to Virgil Nelson Cook and Ruth Elizabeth Proctor.

Frank’s father had passed away earlier that year in February from a stroke not even knowing that Ruth was expecting Frank. Ruth found out after Virgil was called to his Heavenly Home that she was expecting Frank and wondered how she was ever going to have the money to pay a doctor and take care of her baby.

Frank was born a month early and weighed only five pounds. He had tiny curls all over his head. When Frank was born, his mother saw Virgil standing in the doorway dressed in white. When the doctor told Ruth that the baby was fine and healthy Virgil disappeared. Ironically it was Cleo, Virgil’s brother, who drove Ruth to the hospital and then waited in the car for news of the birth. Cleo would later marry Ruth and raise Frank as his own son. Cleo and Ruth were married in December 1939. There was never any favoritism or partiality shown by Cleo to any of us other kids. He truly loved Frank and treated him as his own. As far as us kids, Frank was our full brother in every way.

Dad, (Cleo) and Frank outside Church in Roberts, Idaho

Mom, (Ruth), Dad, (Cleo) and Frank

Dad, Frank, and Mom

Dad, Frank, and Grandpa Cook (James Edward Cook)

Grandpa Cook (James Edward) holding Frank

Mother and Frank

Mother and Frank at home in Roberts, Idaho

Frank hated bananas. Because he was so little the doctor told Ruth to feed him lots of bananas and he would grow tall. So she feed him lots and lots of bananas. This just goes to show that doctors don’t know everything. Frank didn’t grow too tall but he did learn to hate bananas.

Dad, Mom, Theron and Frank

Frank and Theron

Theron and Frank

Frank and Theron with their dog

Theron and Frank

Theron and Frank on sleigh

Frank riding his trike

Frank and Theron eating watermelon

Frank had 3 younger brothers, Theron, Kay and Darrell, and two younger sisters, Joyce, and Lois. Darrell was killed at age 23 while working for the Union Pacific Railroad as a switchman in a freak train accident.
Frank’s early years were spent on a farm in Roberts, Idaho. He and Theron was quite a pair. What one couldn't think of to do to get into mischief the other one could. One day while playing hide and seek with their younger sister, Joyce, they got tired to tending her so they decided to ditch her. They locked her in the outhouse. Ruth went outside to see where the kids were. She found the boys but no Joyce. She asked them where she was but they said they had forgotten where they put her. Everyone started to hunt for Joyce. Ruth became quite frightened as there was water running through the barnyard and in some places quite deep. They kept calling her name. Ruth finally went around by the outhouse and heard someone sobbing. The door was locked on the outside so it looked as if no one was in there. But when she opened the door, there lay Joyce on the floor where she had cried herself to sleep. When Ruth showed the boys what they had done to their little sister, they replied,” Oh, we remember, we put her in there because she was pestering us.” They felt bad but their bottoms felt worse when Ruth got through with them.

Frank and Theron

Frank with his catch of the day

Frank proudly showing you his fish.

Theron and Frank fishing

Frank, Joyce and Theron

Frank and Joyce

Frank, Joyce and Theron

Frank, Theron, and Joyce

Theron, Frank and Joyce

From Roberts, the family moved to Rigby, Idaho, where again Cleo farmed. Frank was old enough now to help out with some of the farm work. It was here that Frank learned to swim in the dry bed that ran through the farm.