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Dr. Thomas William Cook

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Dr. Thomas William Cook, age 88, of Naples, Florida/ Rockford, Illinois/ Lake Delavan, Wisconsin passed away on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at Avow Hospice in Naples, Florida. He was born July 4, 1928 in Pittsburgh, PA to Dr. Thomas and Helen Cook. He was married to Mary Louise Loughry on July 30, 1955. Bill can best be described as an old school Doctor and a devoted family man. Every decision in his life stemmed from a common sense approach.

He earned a reputation in the medical field for his professionalism and his strong desire to help others, regardless of their social or economic status. During his career he served as the President of Rockford Memorial Hospital, Crusader Clinic, and State of Illinois Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. After retirement, he traveled twice to The Sudan, living for six weeks in a small hut in the bush, and operating on hundreds of Sudanese and nearby African tribal communities, restoring to many the gift of eye sight.

Bill traveled extensively. There are not many places on earth that he did not travel to. During the Korean War he lived several years in Osaka, Japan as a Captain in the U.S. Army. While traveling, he enjoyed seeing and meeting people of different cultures and visiting the medical facilities of these countries. This love of travel he shared with his family whom accompanied him on many of these trips.

Family members and close friends often just referred to him as T.W. He loved investing in and researching companies in the stock market, his pet dogs, the Koi fish in his green house, and tinkering around in the garden and the house.

Bill is preceded in death by his daughter, Susan Carnrick.

He is survived by his wife of sixty one years, Mary Lou; one daughter, Wendy (James) Correll of West Milford, NJ; one son, Bradford (Marcia) Cook of Delavan, WI; six grandchildren, James, Alex, Tyler, Ashley, Riley, and Charlotte; three great grandchildren, Zane, Jace, and Mackenzie; one step mother, Ruby Cook and one half brother, Charles (Cecelia)Cook of Denver, PA.

On the date of his death his third great grandchild Mackenzie was born.

A Funeral Service will be held at Monroe Funeral Home, 604 East Walworth Ave, Delavan, WI 53115 at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, August 6, 2016.

Burial will be at Spring Grove Cemetery in Delavan, WI.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions in his name to Lakeland Animal shelter 3551 State Road 67, Delavan, WI 53115

 

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