Obituary of Robert W Cook

Robert “Bob” William Cook, age 82, entered into Eternal Rest on August 21, 2019, at Morristown Memorial Hospital.  Born in Fremont, Neb., on July 7, 1937, and raised on a farm in Arlington, he was the son of the late William and Goldie (McClanahan) Cook.

As a youth, Bob was active in Cub Scouts, vocal music, basketball, track, and baseball.  He graduated with the Arlington High School Class of 1954. He proudly served in the United States Air Force for over five years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Nebraska. He worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for forty years, working at Strategic Air Command (S.A.C.) in Omaha, Neb., then as a local telephone company manager out West in Chadron, Neb., and eventually working with Bell Core in Basking Ridge, N.J., writing practices and working on F.C.C. regulations. His most rewarding career achievement was bringing Direct Dial to Chadron.

Bob particularly enjoyed his work in the community while he was a telephone company manager in Chadron. Some of the organizations he was involved in during this time included the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Masonic Temple and raising funds for both the Boy Scouts of America and for the Chadron Community Hospital.

Bob enjoyed gardening, history, singing, cheering on his favorite Nebraska Cornhusker football team and watching the New York Yankees play baseball. He travelled across this beautiful country from coast-to-coast and to several states in between. He particularly loved the Green Mountain state of Vermont, where he met his wife, though he never forgot his Midwestern roots.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by an infant brother Arnold, his sister Marilyn Peterson and an infant granddaughter, Arianna.

He is survived by his loving wife of sixty years, Janet (Tarte) Cook of Basking Ridge; his three children:  Theresa and husband John Barron of Loveland, Colo., Jacqueline and husband Chris Jensen of Sandy Hook, Conn., and Allen Cook of New York, N.Y.; his six grandchildren:  Matthew, Andrew and Thomas Jensen, and Sarah, Joseph and Noah Ternes; one brother, Raymond and wife Joyce Cook of Peoria, Ariz., one brother-in-law, Ronald Peterson of Superior, Neb., and many other relatives.

A private funeral was held on August 24, 2019. Interment followed at Holy Cross Cemetery in Basking Ridge.  Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home handled the  arrangements.