Vernon Curtis Cook

COOK, CALIFISH, RITTMER, BAACK, MILLER, HINE

Posted By: Ruth Maring - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/30/2006 at 21:10:41

The Clinton Herald
Published: July 27, 2006 02:23 pm

Vernon Curtis Cook

Vernon Curtis Cook, 88, of Clinton, passed away peacefully at the Alverno Health Care Facility on Wednesday, July 26, 2006 after a long illness. Funeral services will be held at 10: 30 A.M. on Saturday, July 29th at the Pape Funeral Home in Clinton with the Rev. Dan Schadt officiating. Visitation will be from 4-9 P.M. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery. Casket bearers will be firefighters Tom Ryan, Jack Reed, Donnie Wilson, Rick Scofield, Ted Tholen, II and Russ Luckritz. Honorary casket bearers will be all past and present members of Firefighters Local 609 and John Conners, a retired Des Moines firefighter and past State Representative.

Vernon was born on January 29, 1918 in Clinton the son of Curtis and Della Califish Cook. He graduated from Lyons High School in 1935. He married Bernice Rittmer on November 2, 1940 in Clinton. Vernon was a 60 year member of the Community Congregational UCC. Vernon served on the Clinton Fire Department for thirty two years until his retirement in 1974. At the time he was the Assistant Chief. During his career he served in various elected positions for Firefighters Local 609, including President. He was elected President of the Iowa Professional Firefighters Association in 1950 and served in that capacity until 1956 when he was elected Second Vice-President for the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) where he represented firefighters from a four state region until 1968. He is President emeritus for both Local 609 and the Iowa Professional Firefighters Association. In 1968 he ran for President of the 250,000 member International Association of Firefighters, losing by a very small margin. In recognition of his contribution to the cause of firefighters nationwide the delegates to the 2000 International Association of Firefighters convention in Chicago named him Vice-President Emeritus.

In 1941 Vernon was elected to the Lyon’s School Board. At the time he was the youngest person ever elected to a Board of Education in the State of Iowa. After Clinton and Lyons High Schools merged he continued to serve on the Board for another twenty seven years, the last thirteen as President. When Clinton High burned down in January, 1968 his firefighter unit was the first to arrive on scene. As President of the Board he spent countless hours after the fire making arrangements for the students to continue their education uninterrupted. The Vernon C. Cook Theater at Clinton High School was named after him in honor of his service on the Board of Education. In 1967 radio station KROS named Vernon “Man of the Year” in recognition of his outstanding work for the betterment of the community and civic leadership on behalf of Clinton, Iowa. 1n 1990 he was Grand Marshal of Riverboat Days.

In 1974 Gov. Robert Ray appointed Vernon as one of three Commissioners to the newly created Public Employees Relations Board. He served in that capacity until 1980. In 1990 the Iowa Professional Firefighters Association appointed him as their retiree’s representative on the Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System Board where he served until 2002. Vernon was an avid Chicago Cubs fan with a lifelong desire to see the Cubs win the World Series. Unfortunately, he was born too late and passed to soon to see that happen. In addition to public service activities, he enjoyed donning his large straw hat and spending many hours tending his huge gardens.

Vernon is survived by his wife Bernice, one daughter Vicki (Ben) Baack of Columbus, Ohio; two sons, Stephen (Kaye) Cook of Morgantown, West Virginia and Greg Cook of Clinton, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in passing by his parents, a brother, Rudy, and sisters, Lola Miller and Thelma Hine. In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial contributions be msde to the Community Congregational Church, 2300 Pershing Blvd., Clinton. Condolences may be made online at papefuneralhome@mchsi.com.

Vernon Curtis Cook

Clinton, Iowa

January 29, 1918 - July 26, 2006