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- [S927] Obituary.
ndianapolis Star, The (IN) - July 14, 2004Deceased Name: J. Kenneth CookeJ. Kenneth Cooke, 91, life-long resident of Indianapolis, died July 12, 2004 at Community North Hospital. Mr. Cooke was born on November 25, 1912 in Indianapolis to the late William and Ellen Cooke. He was a salesman for General Tire Co. for many years, retiring in 1972. In addition, Mr. Cooke was a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church, North Park Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, and Murat Shrine. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Edna (Ameter) Cooke; son, Fred Cooke (Marilyn); grandchildren, Scott Kenneth Cooke (Melissa), Kelly Ann Green (Bill); great grandchildren, Alexander Frederick Cooke, Elli Marie Cooke, Abigail Marilyn Green, Megan Elizabeth Green. Friends and family will gather on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Leppert Mortuary, Nora Chapel. Funeral services to celebrate his life will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Friday in the mortuary. You are invited to visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may read Kenny's Life Story, share a personal memory, order flowers, or make memorial contributions to Northminster Presbyterian Church.
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LIFE STORY:
J. Kenneth Cooke lived in Indianapolis all of his life. It is the place he called home, and the place where he created a lifetime full of memories with his family and friends. No one was ever a stranger to Kenny and he had that wonderful ability to talk to any one and make them feel comfortable.
The world of 1912 was one of turbulent anticipation. The United States was on the verge of what historians would later call the Industrial Revolution. As Americans headed for the cities to find work, the skies over Europe darkened as war loomed on the horizon. For William and Ellen Cooke, life in Indianapolis, Indiana centered around supporting their growing family. Already the proud parents of 3 sons – Nelson, Norm and Luther, on November 25, 1912, the family welcomed the birth of youngest son, Kenny. Born at their home in the Riverside neighborhood, Kenny completed their family.
Life was difficult during this time and Kenny remembered being poor growing up. What money there was, was spent on necessities, and treats and gifts were few and far between. Many times his Christmas present as a child was an orange. In later years, son Fred would sometimes get his father an orange for Christmas, a reminder of those early years. His father William died when Kenny was 8 years old, a devastating event for a young boy. Growing up came fast.
Kenny was a typical boy. The recipient of family hand-me-downs, he enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, and especially golf. As a young boy, when not able to play golf himself, he would caddie for other golfers. He attended School 44 and graduated from Manual High School. Shortly after graduation, Kenny was attending a dance, when a friend of his introduced him to his younger sister. Her name was Edna Ameter. Kenny walked Edna home that night after the dance, and over the next six years, a strong and lasting love for each other developed. Kenny worked for Edna’s dad at the Water Company and she informed Kenny that if he would get a job at Eli Lilly, she would marry him. Kenny then began taking the train to Lilly every evening until he was finally offered a job. Edna was good to her word, and on September 3, 1937, they were married. Knowing the value of wise spending, they had a backyard wedding, borrowed the church pews for seating and Edna’s mother and aunt made the cake.
After working for Eli Lilly, Kenny got a job with General. Tire as a salesman, where he worked until his retirement in 1972. Many promotions were offered to him, but they were turned down – Kenny was afraid the added responsibilities would cut into his golf time. In 1943, he and Edna had a major celebration – the birth of their son, Fred. No matter what was on the schedule, Kenny always had time for Fred, and Edna would tell people that Fred was the apple of his father’s eye, complete with his dad’s brown eyes.
Kenny was a very outgoing man, and loved having fun. He enjoyed Broadway show tunes for music, and with his engaging personality, was a favorite volunteer at St. Vincent Hospital. In the winters, he and Edna would travel to Sarasota, Florida to escape the Midwest winters. Kenny loved it there and tried to convince Edna to move there, but she did not want to leave their home in Indianapolis. Weeks in the summer were spent with grandchildren, Kelli and Scott, leaving them with many wonderful memories of time spent with their Papaw. While on an annual summer visit, Papaw took Scott to the barbershop for a haircut. When they returned home with Scott’s head shaved, daughter-in-law Marilyn was not pleased. She remembers this as the only time she was ever upset with Kenny, and it turned into something they laughed about in later years. Kenny and Edna were avid golfers and enthusiastic bridge players as was their son, Fred. His wife Marilyn often joked that Fred married her so they would have a fourth for golf and bridge, after being taught the finer points of each game by Kenny. Many dinners or evenings were ended with a glass of port wine. Son Fred would buy a bottle of the “good stuff”, but Kenny was not picky. The less expensive kind was just as good. Kenny was also an active member of his community and was a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church, North Park Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, and Murat Shrine.
A good looking, charming, all-around good guy, J. Kenneth Cooke was a man who loved life. His warmth and compassion will be missed by all who knew him.
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1912 - 2004 (91 years)