OBITS: The Spectrum 5 Dec 2005; St. George, Washington co., Utah text-formatted by W. David Samuelsen for The USGenWeb Archives Project *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/utfiles.htm *********************************************************************** Source: St. George The Spectrum http://www.thespectrum.com Vernon Joseph Cooke ST. GEORGE - Vernon Joseph Cooke, 82, passed away peacefully in St. George, Utah on November 9, 2005 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Vern was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 27, 1923 to Arthur and Clara Cooke. He was one of nine children, four sisters and four brothers. His brothers, Richard of Cleveland, Ohio and Donald of Sharonville, Ohio, survive him. Vern grew up and attended schools in Cleveland, graduating from West Tech High School in June 1941. He enlisted in the Navy in September of 1943 and served on the PT-171, Squadron 10 from April 1944 to June 1945, seeing combat in the Pacific as a motor Machinist Mate. He was honorably discharged in October 1945. He married his high school sweetheart, Doris Jeanne Henahan on May 17, 1945. Their marriage was blessed with seven children including James of Petaluma, California, Arthur of Carson City, Nevada, Doreen of Spokane, Washington, Constance of Cleveland, Ohio, Therese of Orland, California and Ronald and Donal of St. George, Utah. A man of many talents, Vern worked as a machinist for several aircraft companies in Cleveland. He began attending John Caroll University part time in 1953 while he helped raise his growing family, graduating in 1959. He then worked as an industrial engineer for Weatherhead and Cleveland Pneumatic Tool until 1970 when he decided to become an entrepreneur. The family had visited the Zion Park area previously and he decided to buy what was then the Zion's Rest Motel in Springdale, which he, Doris Jeanne, Ronald and Donal operated until 1976. The family then moved to Willow, California and operated several businesses there until 1980, when they moved to Napa, California, operating an office supply store until 1986. He then did a stint with the California Lottery Commission, retiring in 1991. Vern, Doris Jeanne, Ronald and Donal moved back to St. George in 1992, where they have since resided. Doris Jeanne preceded Vern in meeting God on December 13, 2004. Ronald, Donal and his wife Larissa, tenderly cared for Vern during his struggles with cancer and helped make his last days with the rest of the family happy ones. All of his children are proud to have had such a good and morally upstanding man as our dad and we will miss him terribly. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, December 7, 2005, 1 p.m., Metcalf Mortuary Chapel, 288 W. St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah. The family requests any memorial gifts be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, 1250 Fourth St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 in hopes of finding a cure to this deadly disease. Originally published December 5, 2005