- Date Of Birth: January 14, 1936
- Date Of Death: February 17, 2011
- State: Indiana
Donald Earl Cook passed away peacefully on February 17, 2011, at the age of 75, surrounded by members of his family and good friends.
He was born on January 14, 1936 in Anderson, IN to the late Fred and Dorthea Cook. He passed away at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis due to a sudden illness. Don leaves behind a long and interesting legacy of service to many organizations and causes. He was a lifelong resident of Madison County where he was a 1954 graduate of Anderson High School. After high school, he proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1956, where he earned the rank of Petty Officer First Class. After Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Navy, he then served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1956 to 1969. Donald was a member of Saint James Lutheran Church in Greenfield. For the past 10 years, he was Chairman of the Anderson Friends of the NRA Banquet/Fundraiser and is an NRA Ambassador Member, due to his passion to preserve the Second Amendment.
He was a Master Mason and Past Master at Ovid Lodge 164 F&AM where he was Mason of the Year in 1998. He was also a member of Madison County Shrine Club; Scottish Rite; National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Clarence Cook Chapter; Society of Indiana Pioneers; Alexandria Gun Club; Fall Creek Valley Conservation Club; American Trapshooters Association ATA; Madison County Historical Society; Indiana Historical Society; American Legion Post 117; Anderson Symphony Orchestra Former Board Member; and as a private pilot, he also joined the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association AOPA. He is the former owner of Killbuck Valley Sports, which offered sporting goods, fishing tackle, and boats and motors. After that, he formed Don Cook & Associates, where he had a successful career as a cutting tool engineer. After retiring from cutting tools, Don started a successful Liberty Safe dealership, which recently achieved Platinum Dealer status one of only 60 such dealers in the country. He enjoyed traveling, fishing, hunting, and spending time with a host of wonderful friends and family. Don was an extraordinary man who made a positive impact on everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.
He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife of 53 years, Evelyn Joan “Jo” Cook, whom he met while attending Ball State University. Siblings are Dale Delores Cook and the late Peggy Richards. He is also survived by two sons, Brent Barbara Cook and Blain Rose Cook. Grandchildren are Matthew Alisha Cook, Megan Cook, Andrew Cook, Alex Cook, Aaron Cook, Rachel Cook, and two great-grandchildren, Lyla and Lincoln Cook.
