Raymond Leslie "Butch" Cook, Jr. (1923-1996)

COOK, MAYO, SHAFFER, CRAIG, SWANK, GRAUSAM

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/7/2015 at 18:54:00

From Ames Daily Tribune March 23, 1996

Ray Cook, Jr.

Ray Cook, Jr., 72, of Ames, died Friday at his residence of cancer. Services will be Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Cecelia Catholic Church Chapel, 30th Street and Hoover Avenue. Cremation will follow the service, with a private burial at a later date in the Ames Municipal Cemetery.

Ray Cook, Jr., was born in Nevada, the son of Ray Cook and Grace Mayo. He lived in Ames most of his life. He owned and operated Ray Cook Construction until 1976. He then worked for the Mining, Safety and Health Administration until he retired in 1990. On Sept. 20, 1945, he married Marvyl Shaffer in Des Moines.

Mr. Cook was a lieutenant in the 305th Bomb Squadron of the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He piloted B-17 bombers until he was shot down and imprisoned in Germany for the final six months of the war. He was a member of St. Cecelia's Parish and the Elks Club of Ames. He was a past board member of the Iowa Limestone Association and the Red Cross.

Mr. Cook is survived by his wife of Ames; three sons, Bob Cook of Louisville, Ky., Mike Cook of Nevada and John Cook of Council Bluffs; three daughters, Julie Craig of Ames, Theresa Swank of Ames and Suzanne Grausam of Hillsboro, Ore.; 17 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one son, two sisters and three brothers.