Thomas George Cook

Thomas George Cook was born January 16, 1916 in Unionville, Missouri. He was the son of Herbert Lee and Zelpha Agnes Cook. Thomas was raised and attended school in Putnam County, Missouri, graduating from Unionville High School in 1933.

Upon graduation, Thomas worked in various jobs eventually locating in the Northwestern United States in Washington and Oregon. During the onset of World War II, Thomas attempted to enlist into the service of his country on the west coast but was refused entry because of his age. He later moved to Birmingham, Alabama and in 1941 was finally accepted into the Untied States Navy at the age of twenty-five. During his military service, Thomas attended boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, ship repair training at Mare Island, Ca., and then aboard USS YMS 434, a naval vessel rated as a service craft, but used during World War II for inshore mine sweeping to prepare the way for amphibious assaults. During his military service, Thomas received the following awards and decorations, World War II Victory Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon.

Upon his honorable discharge from the United States Navy in 1946, Thomas returned to Missouri for a short time before going back to the Northwestern United States. IN 1950, Thomas moved to Oklahoma where he settled in the Tulsa area accepted employment with the Hugh Breeding Company as a truck driver and later as an administrative assistant. Thomas was married to Virginia June Snelson on September 29, 1961 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They continued to reside in Tulsa until 1970 when they purchased a home in the Rule Addition on Keystone Lake. Thomas retired in 1971 but began working for Pawnee County as a truck driver in 1972 for the next eleven years, retiring for the second time in 1983.

Thomas was a member of the Assembly of God faith for most of his life but had been attending Oakhill Church on Keystone Lake for the past few years. He loved to garden and was especially proud of his yard and beautiful lawn. He also enjoyed taking care, feeding and watching birds. Thomas and Virginia moved to Cleveland in 1999. He was a very thoughtful, caring and devoted husband, father and grandfather. Thomas passed away on Friday, January 3, 2003 at the Oklahoma Veteran's Center in Claremore, Oklahoma at the age of eighty-six years, eleven months and seventeen days. He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Virginia June Cook, of the home; son, Tommie Dean Cook, Orlando, Florida; step-son, Elizie Dean Gravitt, Terlton, Oklahoma; step-son, Richard F. Gravitt, Tulsa, Oklahoma; step-daughter and son-in-law, Sharon K. and Don Hogue, Cleveland, Oklahoma; a grandson, seven step-grandchildren, numerous step great-grandchildren, two brothers, John Herbert Cook, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Darwin Cook of Sperry, Oklahoma; and two sisters, Clarice Wayman Cook, Queen City, Missouri and Clem Spanhower of Littleton, Colorado.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Monday, January 6, 2003 at the Oakhill Church on Keystone Lake with Rev. Harrel Jones officiating. Burial will be at the Oakhill Cemetery in Mannford under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit an online obituary and guestbook for Thomas George Cook at www. Chapman-black.com.''