Tributes to Cleo Earl Cook #5

Tribute to Cleo Earl Cook

by his daughter

Lois Cook Berrett

     I, Lois, as Nephi of old, have been born of goodly parents.  I am so proud of my heritage.  We are definitely from a noble line of ancestors who have sacrificed much so that we can have the great blessings that we enjoy today.  There are so many good things about my father, Cleo Earl Cook.  What a great man he was!  Daddy was kind and thoughtful of everyone.  I never heard Daddy say an unkind thing about anybody.  He did not gossip.  He was a very quiet man of few words.  But when he said something, it was important and you had better listen and heed what he said.

Lois and Cleo

     I guess who could call Dad kind of stubborn.  If he said no, he meant no and there was no amount of coaxing that would get him to change his mind.  You could have a very good argument for whatever it was that you wanted to do but if he said no, that was the end of it and you might just as well forget about it.

Lois, Frank, and Theron

     Daddy had a great love for the outdoors.  Oh how he loved to fish.  Hardly a week went by that Daddy did not go out fishing.

Lois, Joyce, Frank, and Theron

     He loved his family very much although he didn’t often express his love in words but rather in action and deeds.  He would have done anything for any of us kids or anybody for that matter.  I never really realized just how much he loved me until one day when he lost his wallet out fishing on a boat.  When he was telling us about losing it and what was in it, he said that he didn’t mind losing what little money he had or his licenses for that matter, but there was a picture of Lois in that wallet that he sure did hate to lost.  He said he would give a million dollars to have it back.  I was filled with pride knowing how much he actually loved me.  He valued a small picture of me even more than his fishing license, money and a million dollars.

Lois and Joyce

     He sure did love his grandchildren and they sure did love him.  Whenever he came down to our house, he would grab Brian and throw him in the air.  One day he came down with a different kind of hat on.  I can’t even remember what it was like but it wasn’t his usual hat.  He grabbed Brian and went to throw him in the air, and Brian started crying like crazy.  He didn’t know Grandpa in that hat.  Daddy took the hat off and Brian was once again happy.  Daddy really felt bad about scaring Brian and apologized and apologized for doing so.

    

Lois, Joyce, Theron and Frank

Sacrament meetings used to be held in the afternoons or evenings not in conjunction with the rest of the meetings as they are now.  If Nancy saw Grandpa and Grandma there, she would fuss and fuss until she got to go and sit with them.  Then after the meeting was over, she would have to ride home with them in their green pickup.  She would stand right beside Daddy with her arm around him.  They then would have to take her to their house and we would go and pick her up there.  She loved it and so did Dad.

    

Lois and Joyce

Diana and Trevor never really knew Daddy.  Diana was only six months old when Daddy died.  So she didn’t get to know him at all.  However, one Memorial Day when Trevor was just a little guy, were at Grant putting flowers on Dad’s grave.  We were talking about Dad and Trevor said that he remembered Grandpa Cook.  We told him that Grandpa Cook had died before he was born.  But he insisted that he know him and that Grandpa had taught him how to fish.  No more arguments from us on that one.  Sometimes the veil is very thin.

Lois and Joyce

     I have often wished that Daddy could have gone with us to all grandkid’s sporting events.  I am sure he would have loved to see all his grandchildren playing sports and doing all the other things that they have done.  One day I was feeling very blue about how unfair it was that Daddy couldn’t be there and Mark commented to me that he was sure that Daddy was there and could see all of his grandchildren.  That made me feel better but it doesn’t help me not to miss him.  Even time doesn’t help that.  I will always miss Daddy very much.  I wish that each one of the children could know and love him as I do.  Someday they will but for now they have others to tell them about him and to help them see how very special he was.  Let’s not let his memory grow dim and let’s forever home our great name.  “I love you, Daddy and miss you more than words can tell.”

Cleo and Ruth

 Lois Cook Berrett

This is the picture that Dad said he would give a million dollars to have back.  

Lois