Obituary of Melvin Roy Cook

Melvin R. Cook “Mel”, 79, of Birch Run, passed away peacefully in his home, Sunday, December 18th, 2022.  Honoring Mel’s wishes, cremation has taken place and no service will be held at this time.  Memorial contributions can be made to the family for future designation.

The family will be hosting a Memorial Luncheon at the Taymouth Township Hall, 4343 E. Birch Run Road, Birch Run, MI, Saturday, January 21, 11am-5pm, with lunch available 12pm-1pm.   

Mel was born April 24, 1943, in Saginaw, Michigan to the late Alfred and Sarah (Morse) Cook.  He was bigger than life and lived a full life.  For those who knew him well, they knew him as many things: husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to many.  He is also known for being a Veteran of the Airforce, a builder, truck driver, airplane pilot, tinkerer, peddler, rummage sale expert, wine maker, maple syrup gatherer, deer hunter, fisherman, wood worker, smoker, and coffee drinker.  He loved attending Nascar races, and High School Football games to cheer on his favorite driver and team.   

Mel was a member of the Birch Run Optimist Club, and the Birch Run “Cribbage Gang”.  

His closest relatives and friends will miss him dearly as he was such a large part of many people’s lives.  We will always remember the random, surprise visits, “get the coffee ready!” and those phone calls, “Your time my dime!” in his big baritone voice.   We will miss the visits when he would say, “come out to the truck and check out what I found!”  Only to reveal an amazing rummage sale purchase or treasure that he found beside the road.  We will miss the special time we had with him building things (houses, decks, pole barns, furniture) all along the way, while the very most important thing to him was building relationships and being with all of us.  He shared himself fully with all, teaching construction, wood working, grinding grapes and making wine, how to hunt deer, collecting sap and making syrup.  It was not deer, or syrup or even wine that he sought (he has a carboy “working” at many homes), but his real purposeful objective was being together with friends or family doing these things.  This was his treasure for us all to cherish and his gift for us to carry on in our own special ways.  He was our connection to the past and our compass pointing to the future of how to be, how to live.  Over his 79 years he managed to live the example of a truly AMAZING life and served as the link binding family and friends to the joys of life, friendship, and fellowship.    

“His heritage to his children, friends, and family wasn’t words or possessions, but an unspoken treasure, the treasure of his example as a man, a father, a husband, a brother...”  Will Rogers, Jr. 

He is survived by his beloved wife, Beckie (Risner) Cook, together for more than 45 years; his children, Bobbie (Brian) Rottiers, Daphne (John) Ledbetter, Jeffrey (Mary) Cook, and Rick (Tressa) Cook; siblings, David “Doc” (Jeannie) Cook, and Betty Moggo; grandchildren, Riley, Amanda, Frankie, Tara, Spencer, Sarah, Anthony, and Justin; along with 11 great-grandchildren and several nephews and nieces. 

Mel is now in Heaven with his parents Al and Sarah Cook, along with his siblings Dick, Kathleen, and brother-in-law Fred Moggo.  To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com  Arrangements made with Cremation Society of Mid Michigan.