Glenn D. Cook

Glenn Dean Cook, 93, passed away Monday, January 31, at St. Pat’s Hospital.

Glenn died of a broken heart and other medical complications after losing Dede, his wife of 70 years, who passed 10 days earlier.

Glenn was born in Yakima, Washington, June 14, 1928, to Charles Deo and Ruth (Wickwire) Cook. He was second of three children.

Glenn spent his early years in Granger, Washington, and then Kimberley, Oregon, where he started grade school. His family moved often during the depression. They lived in Deschutes, Oregon, Emmett, Idaho, and Garrison, Montana, before moving to Elliston, Montana in 1936 where he attended 4th grade, and then to Deer Lodge for 5th grade through high school, graduating with the class of 1946. Glenn’s Dad died at age 43, in 1941.

He married Margaret Delia (Dede) Wales June 25, 1951. They were the first couple to be married in the new, re-built St. Thomas Catholic Church in Helmville, Montana. Dede’s grandparents, Conn and Delia (Mullen) Coughlin were the first couple married in the original church which succumbed to fire in 1948.

Glenn was drafted into the Army in 1948 and released in January 1950. He was called back to duty in September and stationed in Japan before the Korean War. He was discharged in October 1951. He returned to Deer Lodge to carpenter for Jim Stevenson and Phil Berg Construction for 10 years and then purchased his first backhoe in 1960 and went into the excavation business.

In 1965 he went to work as a Carman for the Milwaukie RxR, working nights, while continuing his excavation work. He retired from the railroad in 1980 and gave up the excavation work in 1994.

Glenn belonged to the Knights of Columbus and the Carman’s Union, and once served as the Secretary of the Carpenter’s Union. He participated in league bowling in his younger days and was a competitive horseshoe pitcher. He loved conversation and coffee in the mornings with his good friends. He followed the SF Giants from the days of Willie Mays and was Notre Dame and Green Bay all the way.

Glenn was preceded in death by his wife and infant son, Charles (1955); his father, Charles; mother, Ruth and her husband, Art Hitz ; brother, Charles “Chuck” and wife, Joan (Neidt) Cook of Ronan; nephew, Charles Arthur “Artie” Cook; and daughter-in-law, Tina (Craig) Cook of Missoula.

He is survived by his sister, Bonnie and brother-in-law and classmate Phil Berg of Deer Lodge; and 11 children: Earl and Linda (Sexton) of Milwaukie, OR; Kevin, Missoula; Cary and Jan (Harris) of Billings; Andrew and Patty (Parker), Deer Lodge; Laurie and Rick Hunter, Deer Lodge; Peggy and David Mannix, Helmville; Joel and Sandra (Carlson), of Portland, OR; Maury and Karen (Dumezich) of Butte; Maria and Johnny Jay Senecal, of Avon; Tom and Shauna (Balkovetz) of Great Falls; Brad and Katie (Harper) of Helena; 36 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren and a family tree that continues to grow.

Mass of the Resurrection will be offered for both Glenn and Dede at The Immaculate Conception Church in Deer Lodge and interment at the Helmville cemetery at a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a charity close to your heart.