Daniel Edward Cook Senior passed away Sunday evening April 30th 2023.
He was born June 1950 in Bakersfield, California.
Being the oldest child of Geneva and Floyd Cook.
There was eventually a full house back then with nine siblings: Larry, Philip and Ricky Cook, Dale and Scott Whitley, Stacey, Shelly, Rodger and Robby Whitley.
He is survived by his sons, Dan Cook Jr and Bill Cook, five grand children and two great grandchildren.
He is also survived behind by Melissa Kaba and her three sons.
As a young man he loved spending time with his grandparents: Henry and Annar Cook.
There was a family folk band and he would join in playing guitar, fiddle or banjo.
He could often be found dancing the two-step or the 50s swing.
He attended Washington Union High in Easton, California where he met his wife Jody.
They were married in 1970 at her father’s house and soon started a family.
The two moved to Hood River, Oregon and had two children.
Along with Everett and Bon Whitley (brother and sister in law) they worked self-employed for the next 25 years, completing forest service reforestation contracts from Alaska to South Carolina.
One of his favorite projects was on an island in Alaska. He and his crew were flown in on a sea plane with three weeks of supplies. There were no phones, roads, power lines or people on the island, just Mother Nature and bears. He was in heaven. While leading his crew they came upon a large Kodiak and cub. He was in front with a 30-06 rifle when the mother bear charged, he knelt down and took aim, preparing for the worst. At 25 yards the bear stopped and turned away. Dan stood up and looked around to find everyone had run. Later on he would laugh at how alone he felt at that moment. Most of his work was in the woods and his crew would go beyond the impossible to get the job done, unless there was a charging Kodiak bear. His crew truly respected him and everyone he met liked him.
While working contracts in 29 states for 25 years he always took time to fish the local streams and rivers. One of his favorite fishing grounds was in Hells Canyon on the east side of Oregon. He could be found the month of June there catching crappie, bass and trout. He loved shooting black powder rifle, having competed in Wyoming and Arizona. He attended many rendezvous and had made his own leathers, ammo and 50 cal rifle. He often felt he was born 100 years late.
For 30 years he worked streams and deserts in the West searching for gold. He held a claim in Northern California and saved his favorite nuggets to have a solid gold bracelet made for his wife Jody, with a nugget on a necklace to match. Something he was very proud of.
He was a avid motorcyclist and enjoyed multi week trips annually with Everett and Bonnie riding his Honda Goldwing across all states east of the Mississippi to Alaska over the years. Reno, Nevada was a yearly stop and once almost ended the vacation on the second day. But his luck always came through and although he had lost most of the vacation money hours earlier, the table payed off at 4 a.m. A story he loved to tell and a lesson he never forgot.
Later in life he worked as a supervisor of turbines built in Arizona, Texas and Mississippi. Once again his crew adored him and would go the distance to succeed.
In 2001 he was forced to start a new life due to complications with his heart. Having gone through a new procedure to save his life, doctors expected him to live no longer than 10 years. He made it 22 years. In that time he and his wife built a house and ranch outside Yucca, Arizona. Off the grid 25 miles from power or paved roads. They raised and grew their food and mastered solar and wind power. He loved working the ranch and became a horse farrier and taught the art to others. He also worked as a volunteer for a medical reserve corps in Mojave County, Arizona.
In 2016 his health declined and moved to Ste. Genevieve Missouri to be close to his brother Philip Cook and sons Philip Jr, Brandon and James. He enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews in Missouri and California.
He will forever be missed and continue to be loved across the nation.
Our dad definitely lived life to the fullest.