Ronald Dean COOKE, Sr.

COOKE, DELANO, FJELSTAD, JURGENSEN, JURGENSEN-COOKE, WILLY, PFEIFFER, ELLIS, KLUSS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/17/2010 at 10:49:09

CLEAR LAKE - Ronald "RC" D. Cooke Sr., 63, of 3 South 18th St., died Friday (Jan. 15, 2010) at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Mason City. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, with the Pastor Dennis Hudson officiating. Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. today at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel. Cremation services will take place after visitation. Inurnment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Memorials may be directed to the Ronald D. Cooke Memorial in care of Donna J. Cooke, 3 South 18th St., Clear Lake, IA 50428.

Ronald Dean Cooke Sr. was born Nov. 5, 1946, in Clarion, the son of Robert and Genevieve (DeLano) Cooke. He graduated from Clarion High School 1964. He served in the National Guard from 1964-1968. As a young teenager Ron began working in a café, later leading him to his career of managing and operating several businesses including the Bungalow Café, Forest City, Helen's Supper Club, Eagle Grove, Ron's Restaurant, Clarion, Happy Chef, Story City and Lakecrest Café, Clear Lake. Ron owned and operated the Pancake Inn, Mason City, Dart Drive Inn and Shady Beach, Clear Lake. He later managed Tropic Sun Fruit & Nut, Austin, Minn., and Capt. K's Ice Cream, Mason City, and owned Iowa Walk-In Connection. Ron was united in marriage to Donna Fjelstad in 1967; to this union four children were born. Ron was united in marriage to Donna Jurgensen on June 28, 1991. In his free time Ron enjoyed dancing and listening to his wife sing. His greatest love was spending time with family and friends.

Ron is survived by his wife, Donna Jurgensen-Cooke, Clear Lake; children Ron Jr. (Diane) Cooke, Minneapolis, Minn., Dan (Holly) Cooke, Clear Lake, Tami (Marcus) Willy, Winston Salem, N.C.; stepchildren Matthew (Michelle) Jurgensen, Clear Lake, Mark (Tammy) Jurgensen, Forest City, Jessica (Robbie) Pfeiffer, Dallas, Texas, Aaron (Christine) Jurgensen, Dallas, Texas; grandchildren, Addyson and Cooper Cooke and Ethan Willy; step-grandchildren, Joshua, Lucas and Madelynn Jurgensen, Michael, Brad, Jake, Zach and Haley Jurgensen, Olivia Pfeiffer, Lauren and Evan Jurgensen; great-grandson, Cayden Jurgensen; brother, Robert (Bernadine) Cooke, Belmond; sister, Carlene Cooke, Minneapolis, Minn.; father and mother-in-law, Robert and Maxine Ellis, brother-in-law Steve (Becky) Ellis, all of Stuart; along with several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Ronald is preceded in death by his parents, daughter Rhonda Cooke, brother Jerry Cooke and sister Beth Kluss. Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St. Clear Lake, Iowa.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa
January 17, 2010