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WILLIAM WAKEFIELD COOK
April 16, 1924 ~ March 2, 2011
William Wakefield Cook died Wed., March 2, 2011, in Vancouver, WA, from leukemia. He was born April 16, 1924, in St. Helens, to William and Sophie Cook, the fifth of nine children. Bill grew up with his family in St. Helens and was a 1943 graduate of St. Helens High School. While in school, in addition to regular chores at the family home, he carried and delivered newspapers for The Oregon Journal. Earnings from that job paid for his first bicycle.
Soon after high school graduation, Bill began work in the production department at Bemis Company, a bag manufacturer that operated a plant there later moved to Vancouver.
It was while working at Bemis that he met Gladys Irene Florea who had recently moved to St. Helens from Bonners Ferry, ID, where she herself had just graduated from high school. Gladys was to become his wife of nearly 60 years. They were married June 16, 1944, in Vancouver.
Bill worked for Bemis Company for nearly 44 years, retiring in 1986. He advanced regularly in the company, often as a consequence of continuing education. From production work he moved to sewing machine repair, then supervision of the repair unit, then supervisor of the production department and, in the decade leading up to his retirement, plant manager. Under Bill's leadership, the Vancouver plant won national recognition from Bemis for its productivity, product quality, and profitability.
Family was the center of Bill's life, made richer by his and Gladys' participation in church activities. They first were active members of Portsmouth Trinity Lutheran Church in north Portland. For 17 years they were leaders of the church's youth group. When the Cooks moved in 1978 to the Felida area of Clark County, they became active at Messiah Lutheran Church. Bill sang in the senior choirs of both churches-together, for more than 60 years. Bill was active as spiritual mentor to many friends, family, and neighbors.
Bill was a man of numerous interests including golf-often with family members-along with gardening, woodworking, and decades of annual family camping trips to Oregon's Cultus Lake where he challenged family to many competitive games of cribbage.
His homes and gardens, first in Portland, then in Vancouver, were meticulously maintained. In later years, he especially enjoyed shared garden partnerships with his brother Ben. He volunteered his artful maple tree pruning skills to benefit the Messiah Lutheran Church gardens. While still active in his career at Bemis, Bill was a member of Kiwanis, helping in annual fund-raising events to benefit the community.
Bill is survived by his daughters and their husbands, Sorena and Wayne Brusseau, and Paula and Tony Haney; by his sons, William W. Cook III and his partner Gwil Evans, and Lorry Cook and his wife Terri; by grandchildren, Thad Brusseau and his wife Carrie, Trena Humerickhouse and her husband Ron, Noal Cook and his wife Kim, Matney Cook, Steven Snyder, Thomas Snyder and his wife Candice, and Trish Strong and her husband Joey; great-grandchildren, Riley Brusseau, Autumn and Emilee Snyder, Bryce and Seth Humerickhouse, Cannon and Roman Cook, and Ethan Strong; and by his sisters, Shirley Eaton and Delores Paterson.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys, in 2004; by his parents; and his siblings, Harold Cook, Murvyn Cook, Wilbur "Dud" Cook, Hazel Sivers, Stanley "Ben" Cook, and Beverley Jones.
A celebration of Bill's life is scheduled for 11 a.m., Sat., March 19, at Messiah Lutheran Church, 905 N.W. 94th Street, Vancouver. Guests are welcome at a brunch that follows.
The family proposes that any gifts made in Bill's memory be directed to the American Cancer Society, or to Messiah Lutheran Church.
Please sign Bill's guest book at: www.columbian.com/obits.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss...Bill was very special to me..I was his 'cookie' and will remember him fondly....my heart goes out to you and your family.
LeAnne Morvee
March 25, 2011
We have been blessed with so many wonderful memories in Hawaii with Bill and Gladys, both were extra wonderful people.
They will both be missed greatly by us,
Bob and Ginger Bertilson
Bob & Ginger Bertilson
March 16, 2011
Bill was one of the kindest people I've ever known. I really enjoyed working with him when I was choir director at Messiah. He suffered through my pushing him "on stage" enough times to share his talents with the congregation. Hopefully he's forgiven me, now that he is singing God's praises with the bigger choir in glory. What a blessing he and Gladys were in my life.
Gary Ritter
March 15, 2011
I am sorry to hear about Uncle Bill's passing. He will always be remembered in my heart. I will keep you in my prayers, may God watch over you in this time of sorrow.
Trina Florea-Best
March 12, 2011
The strife is over - the battle is WON! Praise be to God! Ps. 121
Les & Lois Stahley
March 10, 2011
I'm so sorry to hear of your father, grandfather, great-grandfather's passing. He walks with God now.
Brett and I sure enjoyed the time we were around him. From the first time we met him we both knew he was a good man. Good guys will always stay in everyone's heart!
You are all in our thoughts,
Jude & Brett Galbraith
Jude Brett Galbraith
March 9, 2011
Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed shall remain - within us is peace. Grandfather, (and Great Grandfather)you will be missed - but never forgotten. You will live on in our memories and may you dance again, with Grandma - as you two smile down upon us! Always within our thoughts, Ron, Trena, Bryce and Seth Humerickhouse
Trena Humerickhouse
March 9, 2011
Wonderful man. Wonderful uncle. I know he will be greatly missed. May God comfort you all! Love - Julie
Julie Salisbury
March 8, 2011
May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.
Eric and Terra Vaughn
March 8, 2011
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