James Howard Cook passed away suddenly in Rochester, NY on December 29, 2024 at the age of 82. Jim was born in Ravenna, OH. He was preceded in death by his parents, Myrtle and Howard Cook, as well as brother-in-law, Gerald Chappell.
Jim is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Sharon, his daughter Jennifer (Scott) Paoni and grandchildren, Allison, Braeden, and Caitlin. He is also survived by his sister, Christine Chappell, brothers-in-law Donald (Carole) Johnson and Richard (Janis) Johnson, and several nieces and nephews.
Jim was a proud graduate of Ohio State University, where he obtained his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees as well as his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. He was an avid fan of Buckeye football and often said that he stayed at Ohio State to continue his education because as a graduate student he was able to get better football tickets. Jim and Sharon enjoyed attending OSU football games together for many years.
In 1970, Jim joined the faculty at Cleveland State University where he taught in the Electrical Engineering department. In 1974, he was hired by IIT Research Institute, which brought a move to Annapolis, MD. It was here that Jim fell in love with sailing. He and Sharon eventually purchased a 21’ Venture sailboat although they did not know how to sail. Their adventures with this boat formed the basis of some of the many sailing stories that Jim was famous for sharing. He particularly enjoyed assisting as part of the crew for the weekly sailing races on the Chesapeake Bay.
Jim retired from IITRI in 2003. In 2005, he and Sharon moved to Fairport, NY to be near Jennifer and her family. This allowed many opportunities for providing both child care and after-school care, celebrating birthdays and holidays together, attending dance recitals and orchestra concerts, movie nights, and bonfires in the backyard. In addition, they learned a lot about soccer by watching countless games over the years, from rec league through varsity.
Jim was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fairport. In 2012 he helped to initiate and manage a global outreach ministry called e-Readers to Africa. This project provided 50+ e-readers pre-loaded with digital media to pastors and evangelists in Zambia in order to assist them in serving their congregations. Jim participated in Adult Sunday School and Bible Study. He also looked forward to the monthly breakfast with the Men’s Group.
Jim loved to play chess and taught all of his grandchildren. He was always on the lookout for anyone who also played the game. He had a wonderful sense of humor, a beautiful smile, and loved to tell his stories to anyone willing to listen. One of his favorites was about an elephant who began to follow him to school one day! But most of all, he loved his family. That love was returned beyond measure. Parkinson’s Disease was a constant companion for the last 20 years of his life, gradually taking so much from him. His family was a great source of help and comfort during this time. His memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him.
Visitation will be at Richard H. Keenan Funeral Home, 7501 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd, Fairport, NY 14450 on Friday, January 24 from 4-7 pm. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 25 at 11am at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 48 Perrin St., Fairport, NY 14550 with a light lunch following. Interment will be at a later date. Jim’s Memorial Service will be live-streamed and available at the following link: blcfairport.org/youtube
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jim’s memory to Bethlehem Lutheran Church Investment in Ministry Fund, 48 Perrin St., Fairport, NY 14550 (blcfairport.org/imf) or Rochester Parkinson’s Network, P.O. Box 18606, Rochester, NY 14618 (rocparknet.org).
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