Ronnie (Ron) Ray Cook, 79 of Sun City West, AZ passed away on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at home surrounded by his loving family. Ron fought a long, difficult battle with Parkinson’s (and later Dementia). A visitation will be held from 1:00 to 2:30 pm Saturday, September 7, 2024, at Mullinax Funeral Home in Drexel, MO (816-657-4400). Funeral services will follow at 2:30 pm. Memorial contributions can be made to the Wounded Warriors Foundation. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.
Ron was the third boy born May 19, 1945, in Buckner, MO to Raymond and Juanita (Howell) Cook. After a brief move to Freeman, the family settled in Drexel, MO when Ron started 1st grade. Then 5 years later, a little girl was added to the Cook family.
Ron graduated from Drexel High School in 1963. He attended Missouri Valley College on a basketball scholarship. He married his high school sweetheart, Betty, on June 10, 1967. They just celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary.
On March 18, 1968, Ron received his draft notice and left for Ft. Polk, Louisiana. Ron served a full year as a front-line infantryman in the jungles of Vietnam.
Upon return, Ron went back to his Information Technology job at Bendix. While living in Lee’s Summit MO, they were blessed with their first beautiful daughter, Angela Michelle. Three years later, they moved to Drexel, where they built their first new home. They were blessed again, with another brown-eyed, beautiful girl, Renee Marie.
While living in Drexel, Ron was an active member of the Lions Club, school board and swimming pool committee.
Ron retired after 30 years with Honeywell (formerly Bendix/Allied Signal) in 1997. The following year, Ron and Betty began wintering in Gold Canyon, Arizona. They also moved to Overland Park KS and spent 14 years there before moving to Sun City West AZ full-time in 2014.
Ron is survived by his wife, Betty of Sun City West AZ; daughters Angela Cook of Chandler AZ and Renee Doonan (Scott) of Gilbert AZ and grandchildren Blake, Brooke and Alex; his sister, Mary Halverson (Harlan) of South Dakota; nephews Aaron Cook (Brenda) of Massachusetts, Bryon Cook (Lorrie) of Drexel MO, Kevin Cook (Donna) of Alabama, Jeremy Gunnels of South Dakota and a niece Joni Smith (Brian) of South Dakota and a host of other extended family and friends. Ron was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Cook; mother, Juanita (Howell) Cook; brothers Howard Cook and Robert (Bob) Cook; his Granny, Maude St. Clair; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and nephews.
Ron unselfishly donated his body to Science Care helping with their study of Parkinson’s.
Posts
