Tributes to Cleo Earl Cook #2

Tribute to Cleo Earl Cook

by his son

Virgil Franklin Cook

Cleo and Frank

        My most vivid memories of Dad are pretty much centered around 2 things:  fishing and watching us kinds play sports.

     I can recall many many family fishing trips to the Camas Meadows, Camas Canyon and occasionally to the Medicine Lodge area.

Frank

     I also remember many quick fishing trips to the Snake River, Spring Creek, Dry Bed or the Roberts Canal.  Whenever Dad had a few extra minutes he wanted to go fishing somewhere.  He loved to fish.  I used to love it when the whole family would work like crazy for 5 to 7 days making sure all the crops were watered, etc.  We would then load up our camping gear including the old army wall tent.  Up to the Camas Meadows or Camas Canyon we would go and we would camp our and fish for two or three days.  What fun we had!

Cleo, Ruth and Frank

     I also remember almost every Easter the family would pack a picnic lunch and we would go and find someplace where we could have a picnic and most important where we could fish.

     Another place where I liked to go and fish was at Mud Lake.  It was great fun to go there.  If the fish weren’t biting, we had a great time playing in the sand and swimming.

Ruth, Cleo and Frank

     I remember very well the day Dad went fishing at Mud Lake and caught the big fish that won the big fish contest.  He was really excited and proud.

     Many other fond memories I have of Dad concern how much he enjoyed watching us kids play softball and basketball.  Unless Dad had to work, he was almost always there.  Not even fishing kept him away.

Cleo, Frank, and James Edward Cook

     I remember when we were living on Jeppson’s farm.  Dad had just sold some cattle at the auction in Idaho Falls.  He cashed the check and put the money in his wallet.  When he got home he went out to rake hay with a side delivery rake.  While raking hay he lost the wallet out of his pocket.

Frank

     The whole family was very concerned because it was the only money we had and there would not be any more money coming in until fall.  When I went down to bring the cows in that night I decided to go through the hay field to see if I could find the wallet.  I had been praying that I would be able to find it.  In the middle of the hay field something told me to step over two windrows of hay.  I did so and walked only a few steps when I saw the edge of the wallet showing from under a windrow of hay.  If I had not crossed over those two windrows when I did, the wallet would probably have never been found as this was a very large hay field and Dad would be baling the hay in the next day or two.  There was no way that he would have seen the wallet from the tractor he was baling.

Frank

     When we lived on the farm in Roberts, I remember following him around as he would go out to irrigate or do other work in the field.  I especially thought it was fun when the threshing crew would come in to thresh the grain.  When I go a little bit older I remember helping Dad stack the bundles of grain into shocks so that they could be picked up and taken into the thresher.

Cleo and Virgil

     On the farm in Rigby, I remember helping Dad irrigate the spuds.  I would go down to the end of the field and go from row to row and raise my arm up showing which rows the water had reached the end.  I also remember hauling hay on the farm in Rigby.  I would have to tromp the hay as Dad and whoever was helping him would load it.  When the wagon was loaded, we would take it to the stack yard and I would drive the tractor while Dad ran the Jackson fork to unload and stack the hay.  It was Dad, while working on the farm that taught me how to work.

Cleo and Ruth

     The strongest memory I have of Dad however is his deep love for us kids.  Even though I was a stepson, I always knew he loved me and he treated me with equal love and respect as his own children.  For this I will be eternally grateful.

 

Ruth and Cleo

To me he is my DAD

Love  Franklin

Tributes to Cleo Earl Cook

        At the very first Cleo and Ruth Cook Family Reunion held in August 1997, we wrote tributes to our husband and father, Cleo Earl Cook.  I thought it would be appropriate to share those tributes along with some pictures of Dad.  Hope you enjoy.

Tribute to Cleo Earl Cook

by his wife

Ruth Elizabeth Proctor Cook

     He had fun as a kid and also as a teenager.  He never did anything to shame his parents, as he honored his father and mother and showed respect to his brothers and his sisters.  When we went to dances, he always danced with each one of his sisters who were at the dance, besides the girl he took to the dance.

Cleo, Melba, Reva, Vendetta, Leora, Theola, Lila, Verla, Carl
Seated: Agnes, insert Virgil, James, Lena, and Edna Cook

     He was a loving and thoughtful husband.  He also made a lot of friends.  I never ever heard Cleo run anyone down in anyway.

Carl, Cleo, Lena (Grandma Cook), Reva, James (Grandpa Cook) Leora
Theola and Melba

     How he loved to fish and hunt.  He always called me his darling and he would kiss me good night after we said our prayers.  When he left the house to go to work he always would kiss me goodbye and say, “I love you, Ruth with all my heart.”

Cleo with some of his fishing buddies

     He was a good and loving father to his children.  He was always there for them and supported each one in the things they did.

Back:  Theron, Lois, Cleo, Ruth
Front:  Kay, Frank, Darrel and Joyce Cook

     Cleo honored his church callings and did them the best he could.

     He was a good worker on the farm.  While working on the high power line in Hardin, Montana, we lived in Lovelle, Wyoming.  He also drove one of the moving vans for Westergard Transfer and Moving Company.

     He took some of the grandkids for a ride in his motor boat.  He made sure they wore life jackets and sat where he told them.

      He loved his grandchildren.  He told me it made him feel very special when they called him Grandpa.

Seated on couch: Craig Cook, Lynette Wilson, Ruth holding Cari Cook, Cleo holding Ryan Wilson and Shelli Cook
Seated on floor: David Cook, Shannon and Brian Berrett

     When Cleo was called to his Heavenly Home, he had 14 grandchildren, now he has 41 counting the mates of the grandchildren who are married.  I count them as mine for they married either one of my grandsons or granddaughters.  Cleo and I will have 21 great grandchildren before the end of this year—1997.

Cleo and Ruth

     We have had 10 grandsons go on missions and the 11^th goes out in August 1997.  Then number 12 will go out next year.  How proud we are of all our grandsons and granddaughter and great grandsons and great granddaughters.  We have surely been blessed.

Ruth and Cleo

Life Sketch of Virgil Franklin Cook - Part Four

     

     His daughter-in-law, Monica will always remember Frank for is love and his acceptance of her.  He loved her as if she was his daughter and treated her as such.

     Frank was so very proud of his grandsons, Dustin, Braydon, and Andrew.  He loved them with all of his heart.  He mentioned to people many times how precious they were to him. This Christmas, knowing that he didn’t have much time left, he gave each one a very special book called Making Memories.  In each book he wrote a special message to each one telling of his love for them and that no matter what happened, he would always be with them.

     Besides his family, Frank also loved Steven’s dog, Eshva.  Eshva would set at Frank’s feet and was very protective of Frank.  Since Eshva is mostly wolf, Frank wondered if Eshva would howl at the moon.  One night Frank put it to the test.  Frank started howling and sure enough Eshva joined right in.  They became quite the duet and would sing and sing together.  Every time one of the families would go to the house, they would beg Frank and Eshva to sing for them because it was so funny.
     When Frank was in ICU at St Al's in Boise (he was there for a month) Eshva had sat on the sofa and looked out the window watching for Frank and Ilene.  Finally Steven called them and asked if his dad would visit with Eshva. So Frank started howling and Eshva was howling too. All the Doctors, Nurses an aids came running thinking that something was wrong with Frank. 

     Frank had an unconditional love for each of his boys.  Even though Frank was not always happy with the choices they made, he never gave up on them and always had faith and confidence that they would one day return.  Each made their own choices, but because of the example and love their parents have shown to them, they have returned.

Craig Richard Cook

David Virgil Cook

Steven Leon Cook

     During this time Frank’s mother became critically ill.  Even though it was so very hard for him to make the trip to Rexburg, with the help of his wonderful wife, he went to Rexburg to be with his family there.  His mother rallied for awhile but then in November, when Frank was really having a hard time, his mother passed away.  It didn’t look like Frank would be able to attend the funeral in Menan, but once again, his wonderful wife and son, Steven, helped him and they traveled to attend the funeral.  Frank had to spend the time in a wheel chair but he was there for his mother.

David, Ilene, Craig, Frank and Steven 1999

Frank and Ilene

     Monday, 31 January 2000, Frank seemed to be having one of his good days. He spent a lot of the day out shopping with Ilene and Steven.  He walked into the house from shopping and seemed to trip.  Ilene and Steven helped him into a chair.  Frank had quit breathing but they were able to get him to rally round.  Ilene called the doctor and Frank was even able to talk to the doctor.  He suggested that they take Frank to the hospital which they did.  Frank got progressively worse.  Finally after a very valiant fight, Frank went to be with his eternal family who were waiting for him on the other side.

     If any of us would ask Frank today, “Frank, how are you doing?”  Frank would reply, “I am doing superbly well.”

    

     Frank, you are missed by all.  Some day we will meet again and I will be able to tell you what a magnificent brother you are and what a great influence you have had on my life.  I love you more than words can even begin to express and wish I had told you more just how much you mean to me.  I love you, Frank.  

Life Sketch of Virgil Franklin Cook - Part Three

     

Frank and Ilene

     Frank loved to sing and sang for many years with the Magichords chapter of the SPEBSQSA and for the last few years with the quartet “Snake River Transfer.”  Through his singing Frank, once again demonstrated his love and compassion for his family.  Two years ago, Max, Frank’s brother-in-law, was killed in a terrible accident.  Previously Frank had borrowed some umpire gear from Max for a number the quartet was singing.  Our family came over not long after the accident to the Magichords’ fall show.  After the show at the afterglow, Frank’s quartet sang and dedicated their numbers to Max’s memory.  They sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “God Be with You Till We Meet Again.”  There was not a dry eye in the house.

    

Snake River Transfers-Frank is on the far left

     Frank’s Christ like love as also shown in the love and care that he gave Ilene’s mother during the time that she lived with them and needed constant care.  He patiently and willing gave his time and love to her.

     Frank was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather.  He always showed the greatest of love and respect for Schatz.  You could literally see the love and compassion he had for her.  Because of his great example, his sons have carried over the same traditions.  He always enjoyed attending any sport or other events that his family was in.  They all knew that Frank would be there cheering them all no matter what.  Even when Frank was so ill, he still attended Braydon’s last flag football game and went up to Hailey to Dustin and Levi’s soccer games.  He wasn’t always able to get out of the car, but he was there to cheer his grandsons on.  They will always have so many wonderful memories of him.

    

Frank and Craig in Road Show

     Every year the second Sunday of December the Utah State Choir travels to Sun Valley for two weeks.  There they are no longer the Utah Sate Choir but are called the Sun Valley Carolers.  As part of their stay in Sun Valley, they combine with the Hailey 1^st and 2^nd ward and present the Sacrament Meeting program.  It is a tradition for the rest of the family to travel to Sun Valley to spend this time with Craig and his family.  Well this year, Frank was pretty sick.  Ilene told him that they wouldn't be able to make the trip.  Frank insisted that they were going to make the trip because it meant so much to him to be able to spend this special time with Craig and LaShell.  Ilene relented; they made the trip and spent a wonderful time with them.  Frank was able to once again show his great love for Craig.

    

Frank in Boise

     David recalls how his dad would always drive down the middle of the road after a snow storm.  He would just drive down the center and splash all the slush out of the middle of the road.  David couldn't figure out what Frank was doing this for.  So one time David asked Frank why he was driving down the middle of the road.  Frank told him that if you would spread the snow out across the roads it would melt faster and then he wouldn't have to drive on icy roads.  So now when you see David driving down the center of the road, you’ll know why.  He learned it from his Dad.  David also recalls when they were in the process of moving to a new home.  He was quite young and found a set of keys on the floor.  He picked them up and stuck one of them into an electrical outlet.  David was literally knocked backwards.  Frank came running kicked the keys out of the outlet, immediately picked David up and lovingly said, “Oh, I am so sorry.”  Not a cross word or you should have known better, only love and concern for his young son.

    

Frank and his brothers, Theron, Kay and Darrell

     The very first memory of Steven’s life is when the family lived over on Washington.  The house had a large bay window that was only about a foot and a half off of the floor that Steven could look out of.  He would always go to that window and wave to Frank when he left for work.  Frank would back out, stop and wave, drive a little ways and stop and wave again.  Then would wave as he drove off down the street.  Steven would always watch for his Dad to come home too.  Sometimes Craig and David would tease him and say “Dad’s home, Dad’s home.”  Steven would run to the window but Frank wouldn't be there.  Steven would leave the window crying.

Frank and his mother, Ruth Elizabeth Proctor Cook

    Steven also remembers his dad’s interest in everything that he attempted to do.  When Steven was wrestling, Frank learned all he could about the sport and worked with Steven at home on the various moves.  He was always there for his sons.  The boys all took up skiing so Frank decided that he would too, even though he had a really bad knee.  One time up at Soldier Mountain, Steven decided that he wanted a great jump picture.  So he found the perfect spot and asked Frank to stay at the bottom and get this wonderful picture.  Steven didn’t notice that the jump had a lip on it that went straight up in the air.  Steven got ready to go and called down to ask Frank if he was ready.  Frank was messing with the camera and signaling with his arms.  Steven thought that was the sign that he was ready.  Off he went but instead of going like he thought he should, he went straight up in the air feet up.  Down he came and bounced about three times before he started rolling.  Skis, goggles, and gloves were strewn everywhere.  After Steven could finally get his breath, he asked his dad if he had gotten it all on film.  Frank told him, “No I didn’t.  That’s why I was signaling to you not to go.”  Steven decided that he wasn’t going to go through all that pain and not have a picture of it, so up he went again only to do the very same thing again, but this time Frank got the picture.

Frank and Ilene, Theron and Cindy, Lois and Mark, Kay and Carla
at David's Wedding Aug 1991