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JOHN TERENCE COOKE
Born: May 13, 1940
Date of Passing: Aug 19, 2021
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or Memory
JOHN TERENCE COOKE
Born in Regina, to Nora and Dr. Terence Cooke on May 13, 1940, with his father soon to join Canadian Forces overseas, John spent his earliest years in Wolseley, Saskatchewan with his mother and sister Patricia. Early on, John exhibited a zest for life and learning. He taught himself to play guitar and piano. He loved to build things, play sports, study nature and the great outdoors. John also embraced his father's passion for carpentry. After the Cooke's move to Winnipeg, he helped build the family cottage at Falcon Lake, worked summers on the crew that constructed the Falcon Lake Golf Course and later at the Kelsey Dam project. Throughout his life, John was always the first to arrive with tools in hand if you had a project of any kind.
John's greatest passion was people. He always had stories to share, laughter to spawn and time for everyone. His willingness to invest in the joy and success of others led him to his chosen vocation. A member of Phi Delta Theta, John graduated from the University of Winnipeg and became a teacher. After gaining experience in both rural and urban schools, John moved from teaching to guidance counselling and later served as president and treasurer of the Manitoba School Counsellors Association.
John also joined his students on journeys of exploration in Europe and Africa. He loved to travel, especially in the company of his wife Cathy and two children. Certainly, there were many road trips across North America and a few journeys overseas, but John and his family formed a great affinity for the Cooke cottage at Falcon Lake and Red Lodge, Montana. Trips spent travelling the Beartooth Pass and spending time at the Bear Creek Saloon became ever more frequent after John's retirement.
However, retirement for John didn't mean it was time to relax. Between trips, John and Cathy spent lots of time at Falcon Lake, usually with four or five construction or maintenance projects on the go at any given time. Together, they became involved with the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and later, as the disease began to take hold, John volunteered his time to the Parkinson's Society.
Always a going concern, whether he was taking up downhill skiing at 53 or wowing his nephew's wedding guests by defeating him at arm-wrestling at age 77, John just didn't slow down, and never gave up.
After his wife Cathy passed, John turned his attention to his immediate community, creating timely events, movie nights, game nights and special-occasion get-togethers for neighbours and friends. His travelling collection of rare single malts was always well-received. As John's ability to travel diminished, his favourite place to be became the company of family and friends where he could share a story, tell a joke, discuss current events or listen with great interest to whatever was going on in their lives.
Comforted by the knowledge that John and Cathy, his parents, Nora and Terry Cooke, and brother-in-law John Beardon are all together again, left to cherish special memories of John's impact on our lives are, children: Shirley Cooke and Gordon Cooke, (Liana), sisters: Pat Beardon, Susan Cooke and Elizabeth Albani, (Ralph), grandchildren: Emma, Daniel and Joshua Cooke, brother and sister-in-law: Bill and Helen Eamer, and many nieces and nephews.
With the burden of Parkinson's now behind him a thought from one of the many movies John enjoyed with his family comes to mind: "His Head Full of Honey is clear", and now he and Cathy can enjoy more adventures together.
The family wishes to express thanks to the kind, caring staff at West Park Manor for all they did for John. We also welcome any donations to the Parkinson's Society or a charity of your choice made in John Cooke's memory.
A family graveside service and interment at Chapel Lawn has taken place.
Publish Date: Sep 11, 2021
JOHN TERENCE COOKE
A private graveside family service has taken place on Friday, August 27.
A longer obituary will follow.
For those who wish to sign the online
Guest Book please visit www.chapellawn.ca
Chapel Lawn Funeral Home
204-885-9715
Publish Date: Aug 28, 2021
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 28, 2021, Sep 11, 2021
Condolences & Memories (3 entries)
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I first met John when I was transferred to Sturgeon Creek Secondary in St James-Assiniboia in 1973. Working there with him in my first year as a counsellor was a welcome experience. He and others in an expanding school population helped me tremendously in the switch from school administration back to the grass roots of what is everyday contact with students. John modelled to me and was an inspiration of how to be a welcoming counsellor for the balance of my last 19 years in the school system. He was an exemplary teacher and counsellor. - Posted by: Gary Jones (Counsellor colleague) on: Sep 11, 2021
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I was saddened to read of John’s death and his long term illness. I send my sincere condolences to his family. John, his siblings and parents were family lake friends in the late 1950s and early 1960s when our families built their cottages. I have many fun memories of those years and the friendships. Every time we drive by that beautiful golf course in Manitoba I think of John. He provided, as a summer student, some of the hard labour in its early development. He persevered. I do believe he would have been a wonderful teacher. Dear Family, take care of yourselves. May the happy memories overcome the sadness. - Posted by: Donna Meder (McKillop) (Friend) on: Sep 02, 2021
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I always had a good relationship with all the teachers. I was in his perspectives for living class. Sorry for your loss. Mr. Cooke was a good teacher. I'm now a writer and published a book. - Posted by: Joyce Lancaster (stufent) on: Aug 29, 2021