David L. Cooke

DAVID L. COOKE of Gainesville, Texas, passed away suddenly at his home on July 29, 2020, just 11 days shy of what would have been his 98th birthday.

David was born August 9, 1922, in Saint Jo, Texas, where he lived most of his life before moving to Gainesville in 2006. His beloved wife, Loretta Hale Cooke, preceded him in death in 2009, and not a single day has gone by since then that he did not dearly miss her.

David was also preceded in death by his parents, Edward Sherill Cooke and Dove Boswell Cooke, of Saint Jo; and by his four siblings: Leona Mae Schmitz of Gainesville, Edward Cooke Jr. of Fort Worth, Roma Spires of Burkburnett, and Boswell Cooke of Saint Jo.

Raised on his family’s farm outside Saint Jo, David later went on to work as a housing contractor and builder alongside his father, Edward. He also worked for Montague County for a number of years, until his retirement at age 62. During World War II, although he repeatedly tried to join, David was not accepted into the military because of congenital poor eyesight, but he patriotically served the war effort as a civilian mail carrier for the military institutions in North Texas.

David was a longtime member of the Saint Jo Volunteer Fire Department and served as the department’s Fire Chief for several years and was also active with the Saint Jo Civic Center.

David is survived by his son, David Monte Cooke and his daughter-in-law, Landy Cooke, of Southlake; and by two step-grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

David lived independently at his home all the way to his last day on earth. He was a longtime devoted fan of the Dallas Cowboys, and in more recent years, would rarely miss MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show” or NBC’s “The Voice”.

His remains will be laid to rest at the Saint Jo Cemetery. There will be no public funeral or memorial service at this time due to the Covid pandemic.

The family would like to thank David’s friends and neighbors, as well as the tireless volunteers from Meals on Wheels with whom he always enjoyed a quick chat.

Donations in David’s honor may be made to the non-profit Cooke County Meals on Wheels organization.