After an active life as a sailor and builder of beautiful things, Robert Chaplin Cooke of Overland Park Kansas docked his boat, stowed the sails, retired his boots, put away his tools and went home to be with God on Thursday August 8, 2019. He was surrounded by his loved ones, Bob was 73. 

Bob was born, March 24, 1946 to Robert and Dorothy Cooke in Kansas City, Kansas. On January 8, 1966 he married his high school sweet heart Beverly Cooke. Together they raised two sons, Bobby Cooke and Jason Cooke and were the proud grandparents of Britney, Taylor and Hanna.

Bob (Cookie), spent 35 of his working years at Armco (GST) Steel Co. There he learned and perfected the craft of sheetmetal fabrication, a job that he absolutely loved.   While working at Armco, Bob had the opportunity to volunteer extensively with the United Way Foundation where he served on numerous committees which focused on helping local battered women’s shelters. He also started a Christmas adoption program for a community center near Armco.  Bob, along with his coworkers and their families, were able to raise a lot of money over the years to make Christmas merry for a lot of unfortunate families.  He was also a religious blood donor and gave countless gallons, (his blood was rare and his veins were good, so they loved to see him coming).  

After Armco (GST) shut the doors, he went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad for 10 years. This was not his dream job but he made the best of it. During his time with Armco and the Union Pacific Railroad, Bob operated Cooke Custom Metalwork out of his home.  He built anything and everything from:  boat and utility trailers, an awesome golf cart bridge for St. Andrews golf course, numerous boat docks that are still in service at Lake of the Ozarks, custom car and hot rod parts, and some of the coolest camping gadgets and equipment that a Boy Scout troop could ever have.  He was a creator without rival and a true genius with his hands.  Like everything Bob built, the same can be said of him.  He was nearly perfect and one of a kind.

Away from work, Bob was a lot of things to a lot of people.  To Beverly he was a devoted husband and together they acted as anchors for one another keeping each other safe during the storms of life. They enjoyed traveling to the mountains and sailing. They even had the chance to sail on Lake Dillon in Colorado, which is surrounded by mountains (an impressive two for one).  To his sons, Bobby and Jason, he was a loving father who taught many valuable lifelong lessons and demonstrated what being a good man was all about. They enjoyed Boy Scouts, dirt bike riding, camping, time at the lake, car shows and building things.  To his granddaughters, Britney, Taylor and Hanna, he was a doting grandfather that would go anywhere and do anything for the “Girls”. 

In Boy Scouts, Bob was an inspirational leader who had a special way of getting others to do the right thing without telling them what was expected.   He was the true embodiment of the Boy Scout oath, law, motto and slogan. Bob didn’t stop being a scout when he wasn’t at meetings or camping trips.  He took his scouting prowess with him everywhere by leading and helping fellow coworkers and being the neighbor and friend that everyone wishes they had! 

Bob was also a wonderful doggy dad to his beloved Sophie, they shared great walks and lots of ice cubes.  It goes without saying that Bob was something very special to everyone that was lucky enough to know him.   Bob’s true nature wouldn’t have understood why but he would have insisted that it was he  who was the lucky one.  His passing represents a loss beyond compare and leaves us all with a hole in our hearts that only he could fix.  It is with sorrowed hearts that we all cast Bob’s lines free and wish him safe sailing on Gods glorious seas!

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and Sister Barbara Pellow.   He is survived by his wife Beverly, his sons Bobby (Cathy), Jason (Jaci), three granddaughters Britney, Taylor and Hanna, a sister Judy Yocum of Wall South Dakota, four nieces, one nephew and their families.

Services will be Wednesday August 21, 2019 at Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia Lenexa, KS.  Visitation will be from 5:30-6:30 with Celebration of Life Services starting immediately afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Alzheimer’s Assoc. of KC or to Garden Terrace at Overland Park, KS.

God saw you getting tired, and a cure was not to be.

So he put his arms around you and whispered,

“Come with Me.”

With tearful eyes we watched you slowly fade away.

Although we loved you dearly,

we would not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

your hard-working hands put to rest,

God broke our hearts to prove to us

He only takes the best.