Lewis Cook

Lewis Eugene Cook, Jr.
Born October 31, 1935, Marysville; died September 20, 2014, Grove City, Ohio, with his family by his side. Son of Lewis Eugene Cook Sr. and Lillian Juanita Lingrel. Preceded in death by brothers Allan J. and Jerry; paternal grandparents Alvin James Cook and Nellie Clyde Crooks; maternal grandparents James Blaine Lingrel and Icie Dora Lauer; parents and one nephew, Lonnie L. Payne.
He leaves behind his loving wife of 58 years, Carmen Rivero Cook; sons, Jorge Lewis Cook, David Charles Cook; daughter Elizabeth Lillian Cook (Traci Shaw); former daughter-in-law; Lisa Morales Cook; grand-daughters Isabel Sofia Cook and Morgan Dale Shaw; sister, Janet Elaine Emerine Payne; nephew Michael Alan (Rhonda) Payne; nieces Kay Payne (Herman) Cantrell and Kelley Payne (Terrell) Ross; loyal office staff, Mona Hardbarger, Janet Conrad, Joy Trimble, Joseph Props and Barbara Hart; and several life-long friends.
Owner of Cook Insurance and Tax Services, he was a well-known local insurance agent and certified tax preparer. Lewis was a resident of Pickaway County for most of his life and a respected businessman in the community. Graduated from CHS Class of ’53, Ohio University, Athens; and the University of Madrid. His area of focus while in college, and throughout most of his life, was in the study of foreign languages. Soon after starting his family he joined his father to form the Lewis E. Cook & Son Insurance Agency.
Long-time member of the Calvary United Methodist Church, Sunday school teacher and church trustee. Charter member of the Pickaway County Sertoma Club, and two-time recipient of the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award in 1984 and 2011 for his many years of service to the club and community.
Long-time genealogist and avid reader and collector of many types of books. Long-time member of the Esperanto Association of Central Ohio. In addition to Spanish and Esperanto, he learned to speak German and also studied Arabic, as well as Italian in his later years.
National Association of Tax Professionals; Independent Insurance Agents of Ohio; registered tax preparer; Pickaway County Independent Insurance Agents of Ohio; National Federal of Independent Businesses; Pickaway County Historical Library; past board member of Sertoma Speech and Hearing, Pickaway Area Recovery Services, Pickaway County Library Board and Pickaway County Genealogy Library and a contributing writer for the Pickaway County Quarterly. Circleville High School Plus 50 Alumni and named Associate of the Year by the Scioto Valley Association of Insurance Women. Spanish-speaking court interpreter for the City of Circleville.
Lewis will be fondly remembered by the community as a kind-hearted, mild-mannered man, with a unique sense of humor and a genuine interest in the personal lives and needs of others. He is greatly missed by his friends and family, but all those who knew and love him should take comfort in knowing that he claimed Jesus Christ as his friend and Savior when he was quite young and never wavered from his devotion to God throughout his life. Although he is surely in heaven, he is greatly missed. We’ll see you there, Lew.
There will be a private burial at Forest Cemetery. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at the Calvary U.M. Church, at 427 S. Washington Street on October 9, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the ministries of Charles Stanley (http://www.intouch.org/) or Les Feldick (www.lesfeldick.org/).