Buddy Dean Cook, 82, departed from this life Nov. 5, 2023 in Columbia.
He was born Jan. 18, 1941, to Bennie and Ruby (Jett) Cook, and was reared in the Belle area. Earlier in life, Buddy spent much time with his paternal grandparents, Martin and Josephine (Duke) Cook, who were like a second set of parents to him.
Buddy attended first through eighth grade at Dixie School south of Belle. He then attended high school in Belle where he graduated in 1958. Following graduation, he helped his dad on the farm until he was old enough to work at Kingsford Charcoal. In 1966, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany until he was honorably discharged in 1968. When he returned to Belle, he worked at the Counter Factory for 11 years before returning to work at Kingsford in 1979 where he retired in 2007.
In 1968, he met and dated Lourea Crum for two years before they were united in marriage on April 11, 1970, at Little Flock Baptist Church in Vienna. To this union a son, Christopher Cook, was born.
Buddy professed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and was baptized in 1972 at Little Flock Baptist Church. Later he joined the First Baptist Church in Belle, where he taught Youth Sunday School and served as a volunteer in the youth ministry. On May 4, 1980, Buddy was ordained and served as an active deacon until he had a heart attack in 2006.
He is preceded in death by parents, Bennie and Ruby; brother, Gary; sister, Kathleen; paternal grandparents, Martin and Josephine (Duke) Cook of Belle and John and Rilda (Thompson) Jett of Bland.
Buddy is survived by wife Lourea of 53 years of Belle; son, Christopher; precious daughter-in-law, Jennifer; grandsons, Joshua (Jordan) Cook, Andrew (Hannah) Cook, and Bradley Cook; great-grandchildren Alex and Charis Cook of Columbia; sisters, Marsha (Sam) Land of Jefferson City and Janet (Gene) Kottwitz; and sister-in-law, Bessie Cook of Belle.
Visitation will be Saturday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m., at the First Baptist Church in Belle with funeral services to follow at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Little Flock Cemetery in Vienna, at 1:30 p.m.
Memorial donations are suggested to the Building Fund at First Baptist Church in Belle or Little Flock Baptist Church in Vienna.
Arrangements are under the direction of Sassmann’s Chapel, Belle.
