Tributes to Cleo Earl Cook #4

Tribute to Cleo Earl Cook

by his daughter

Joyce Cook Wilson

Some of the things that I think of when I think of my Father, Cleo Earl Cook, are the bread and milk that he had nearly every night before he went to bed and the huge bowls of ice cream that he enjoyed quite often.  Dad loved pickled pig’s feet too.  Many times he would try and get me to eat them with him but after one time I declined.  Dad made the best baking powder biscuits that I think I've ever had.  His were so light and fluffy and oh so good.  Dad was a kind man.  Very quiet most of the time but when he spoke you had better listen.

     Dad loved to be out of doors.  He loved to fish, hunt and camp.  He was a hard worker, not fast at what he did, but he never quit until the job was done and done right.  I remember him saying one time, “If you don’t have the time to do it right, when are you going to find the time to do it again?”

     Dad didn’t complain about the little things or most of the time the big things.  He didn’t like doctors.  He thought they didn’t know any more than the everyday common man.  He thought by using good common sense, you could take care of yourself.

     If Dad made a promise to you he kept that promise.  His word was as good as any signed paper.  If he said that he would do something, he did it and did a good job of whatever he was doing.

      Dad was a good example in so many things.  He thought before he spoke.  He tried to listen to all sides before he passed judgment on us kids or anyone else.

     Dad had a sense of humor.  I remember one night that Dad and Dannie K. Wilson dressed up like girls.  They looked so funny.  We took a picture of them in the kitchen of the home where Mom now lives.

Frank, Joyce and Theron

     Dad loved to sit in the recliner and watch the fights on TV and any western that came on.  He usually fell asleep sitting there watching.  Dad didn’t do a lot of reading of books other than western books.  He did like a good western book.

     One of the things I remember about Dad is how very much he loved us as a family.  He would put the family first.  I remember when Lois and Mark got married.  Dad had just gotten out of the hospital.  He was still very sick and very weak.  He wasn’t sure if he would be able to even go to their reception.  But he stayed down most of the day and that night he went and stood in the line and never said a word to anyone about how he felt.  By the end of the evening he could hardly stand up let alone walk out to the car by himself.  He still didn’t complain because he loved his daughter so very much.

Joyce and Theron

    

Joyce

I remember when I lived in Idaho Falls with Janae Cook.  Two or three times a week Dad could come by our apartment and bring a gallon of milk for us.  Sometimes he would bring us a package of meat to help us out.  I know in order for him to do this for us, he had to leave for work about 15 to 20 minutes early.

     One of the memories that Ryan has of his Grandfather is going out in the boat with him.  Ryan was only a very small boy and that is about all that he can remember.  It was up at Island Park Lake.  We were there for a family gathering.  We had Lynette, Ryan, and Greg at that time.  Dad took both Ryan and Greg out.  Greg was too small to even remember.

    

Theron, Joyce and Frank

On Friday, 29 December 1972, Dad and Mom came to our house on the out skirts of Idaho Falls to watch our Lynette, Ryan, and Greg.  Michael was three weeks old and had to have emergency surgery.  They stayed there most of the night up until about 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, 30 December 1972.  Then they went to their home in Menan.  Then they went to their home in Menan.  Dad got a couple of hours of sleep, and then went with Dee Raymond to get a load of hay for the cow.

Cleo and Lynette

     I had stayed all night at the hospital with Mike.  At about 10:30 the doctor came in and said Mike was doing great and that if I would go home and get a couple of hours sleep he would let me take Mike home that afternoon.  I left the hospital and went home.  I had just got into bed; I hadn’t even got to sleep yet, when the phone rang.  Max answered it.  He came into the bedroom where I was and he was crying.  I knew something was wrong.  Max was crying so hard he couldn’t tell me what he was crying about.  I thought something had gone wrong at the hospital, so I jumped up and started to get dressed.  He then told me that Mike was okay but that Dad had had a heart attack and passed away.  I remember Dad had mentioned that he had a pain in his right arm.  But he thought he had to work at Fresh Pak that day.  He had said on a number of occasions in the past that his arm ached.  He always attributed it to the fact that he had worked to hard at the Fresh Pak.

    

Ruth and Cleo

     My Dad and I were very close.  I miss him so very much.  I sometime meet other men that are in their late 60s that have reminded me of him.  His easy manner, his work habits, the way he thought before he spoke, his kindness, and each time I am reminded of him, I thank my Father in Heaven for blessing me with such a very special Dad and a very special Mom.

Ruth and Cleo