Ricky H. Cook

Ricky H. Cook, (Rick) 69, passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2021, at Summa Barberton, hospital. Rick was born to Joseph X and Edith A. Cook, on November 6, 1952, in Syracuse, NY. He attended Onondoga High School where he graduated with a certificate in printing. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he took command Jesus gave at Matthew 28:19,20, “to make disciples….until the conclusion of this system of things,” to heart. He entered the full-time pioneer service after graduating high school, working part-time to support himself in the ministry. This brought him great joy. During that time,  he met Judy Hammond, also serving as a full-time pioneer. They were married in Syracuse, on March 10, 1973. One year later, they moved to Judy’s hometown of Lorain, Ohio. There they were blessed with two daughters, Tina and Kristy. They regularly attended congregation meetings as a family and participated in voluntary, community Bible education, together. Sadly Judy lost her battle with cancer, on July 4, 1995. Rick had served as an Elder in the Lorain congregation for five years. He stepped down after Judy’s death, to focus on his family.

In June of 1997, Rick was introduced to Elizabeth Cook, who was also widowed. They were married on July 26, 1997, at Kingdom Hall on Main Street in Akron, Ohio, by Samuel Odom of Lorain, Ohio. Elizabeth’s children, Elena and Mark, were 14 and 12, at the time. In February of 2009, Rick resigned from University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio after 28 years, for health reasons.

In June 2015, they moved to Morrisville, NC, to assist Rick’s sister Becky and husband Kurt, in caring for Edith and Joe. Edith passed away in September 2017. In November 2019, Joe passed away. They had been married for 66 years. Rick and Elizabeth moved back to Lorain in October 2021. In December 2021, Rick’s health went into a sharp decline. He tried to fight off what felt like the flu and eventually succumbed to COVID-19 Pneumonia. He is survived by  his wife of 24 years, Elizabeth, her children Elena and Mark Thomas. He is also survived by his daughters, Tina Hylton (Mike), Brook Park, Ohio, and Kristy Bickmeier (Allen) North Ridgeville, Ohio as well as six grandchildren, Robert Cook, Michael and Kaylie Hylton, Serenity Umphrey, Nevaeh Umphrey, Gage Thomas and Makayla Bickmeier, brother Jim (Lois) reside in Greenville, TN as well as their son Jonathan, daughter Tiffany (Joe) Parrott and daughter currently reside in Knoxville, TN. Also surviving Rick is a sister Becky (Kurt) Bergsbaken, residents of Durham, NC.

A memorial service will be broadcast via ZOOM on Saturday, 01/01/2022. A video presentation will start at 2:30 PM. The service is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest that memorial contributions be made to www.JW.org, 

We wish to thank the Cary Central congregation, Cary, NC for hosting the memorial service and video presentation. Thank you all for your expressions of love and support. Also, wish to express appreciation to the Portage Path congregation, Akron, Ohio for your hospitality and concern during this difficult time.

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