Obituary ~ Jeff Cook

Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at Duluth First United Methodist Church for Jeffrey Scott Cook, 52, of Duluth who died Jan. 8. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service in the gathering room at the church located at 3208 Hwy. 120. A video montage celebrating his life will be presented during the visitation time.

The family also will receive visitors at Bill Head Funeral Home and Crematory in Duluth from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13.

Cook was born Aug. 9, 1959, in Festus, MO. A 1981 West Point graduate, he retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2002 with more than 20 years of meritorious service.

After retiring from the Army, Cook joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2002 as operations branch chief for the Office of Preparedness in the Division of Emergency Operations. He moved to the Office of the Director in 2004 to serve as deputy chief of staff. In 2010 Cook joined the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention’s WISEWOMAN Program as a project officer providing expertise in evaluation, data analysis, and health behavior modification.

He was a graduate of the Duluth L.E.A.D.S. leadership development program and had served on the Duluth Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Cook and his wife Marline led community efforts opposing the location of a Walmart in Duluth several years ago. Marline Cook currently serves on the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals.

In addition to his wife, Cook is survived by a daughter, Vanessa F. Cook; sons, Erick Santiago, Germaine Santiago, and Chris Santiago; mother, Joann Bond; and sisters,  Johnna Cooper and Royce Bond.

Donations may be made to the American Heart Association in lieu of flowers.

For more information, call at 770-476-2535.