Memorial service for Melvin D. Cook, 83, of Enid, will be Tuesday, January 24 at 11 am in the First United Methodist Church with Reverends Randy Mitchell and Susan Southall officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson-Burris Funeral Home and Crematory.
Melvin was born April 9, 1933 to Kenneth M. and Helen (Dyck) Cook in Goessel, Kansas and died January 19, 2017 in Enid, Oklahoma with his family by his side.
Melvin graduated in 1951 from Vega High School, Vega, Texas and then graduated in business at SMU and studied law at SMU and Denver University, then decided to enlist and serve his country in the U.S. Navy. On June 16, 1962, he married Gloria Stevenson in Silverton, Texas. Melvin worked in farming/ranching and he and Gloria moved, built their family, and made friends all over the Midwest – in Montana, Kansas, Minnesota, Indiana, and Texas - while Melvin was a plant manager for International Multifoods. They moved to Enid in 1973, where he started his own cattle broker business and later became a pilot and flight instructor. Following his retirement, he was a volunteer at Our Daily Bread and with Hospice Circle of Love for over 20 years and for St Mary’s Hospital and Meals on Wheels as well. Melvin was an active member and Bible Study and Sunday School teacher at the First United Methodist Church. Melvin and Gloria were also foster parents for many years in Enid and in Minnesota. He was an avid runner for many years and loved exercising (and socializing) at the YMCA. He loved hiking and being in nature, and treasured his backcountry backpacking trips as a Boy Scout troop sponsor at Philmont Ranch and his two rim-to-rim hikes across the Grand Canyon.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Kathleen Tolbert and Sharon Baynham; and one brother, Lanny Cook.
Melvin is survived by his wife, Gloria; three children and two daughters-in-law, Melvin D. Cook, Jr. and Tori, Edmond, OK, C. Tyler Storm and Sharon Nishikawa of West Sacramento, CA, and Sarah Cook of Sao Paulo, Brazil; five grandchildren, Scott, Marc, Amalia, Joseph, and Violet; two sisters, Norma Johnson, Dallas, TX, and Marian Horsley, Enid; other relatives and many friends.
Memorials may be made through the funeral home to First United Methodist Church, Hospice Circle of Love, YMCA, or Our Daily Bread. Guestbook is available at www.andersonburris.com.
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