Robert E. Cook

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Robert Eugene Cook
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th district
In office
January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1963
Preceded byDavid S. Dennison
Succeeded byOliver P. Bolton
Personal details
Born(1920-05-19)May 19, 1920
Kent, Ohio
DiedNovember 28, 1988(1988-11-28) (aged 68)
Ravenna, Ohio
Resting placeStanding Rock Cemetery, Kent, Ohio
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materKent State University
William & Mary Law School

Robert Eugene Cook (May 19, 1920 – November 28, 1988) was an American attorney, politician, and judge. A Democrat, he is most notable for his service as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1959 to 1963 and a judge of the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals from 1969 to 1988

Biography[edit]

Cook was born in Kent, Ohio on May 19, 1920, one of the four children of Judge Blake C. Cook and Bessie (Adams) Cook.[1] He graduated from Kent State High School 1938 and attended college at Kent State University.[1]

World War II[edit]

During World War II, Cook joined the Army Air Forces.[1] After enlisting at Patterson Field, he was appointed a warrant officer and trained in the field of radio communications.[1][2] Cook served 1942 to 1946 and was honorably discharged at the end of the war.[1]

Legal career[edit]

After his military service, Cook returned to Kent State, from which he graduated in 1947.[1] He then attended the William & Mary Law School, from which he received his degree in 1950.[1] Cook was admitted to the bar and practiced in Kent.[1] From 1952 to 1959 he served as prosecuting attorney of Portage County.[1]

Congress[edit]

Cook with President John F. Kennedy in Blue Room, May 25, 1961

A Democrat, in 1958, Cook was the party's successful nominee for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.[3] He was reelected in 1960, and served from 1959 to 1963.[4] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1962.[5]

In 1963, Cook became a judge on the Ohio Court of Common Pleas, and he served until 1969.[5] He was judge of the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals from 1969 until his death.[6][7]

Death and burial[edit]

Cook died at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna, Ohio on November 28, 1988.[7] He was buried at Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent.[7]

Family[edit]

Cook was married to Gaye Smith and had a daughter, Amy Louise, in 1952. They divorced and he married Evelyn M. (Birr) Cook (1928-2007) in 1957 and together they raised their two children - Randy and Amy.[1][7]

In 1962, While Cook was serving in the U.S. House, his chief assistant, Jennette Hall married Winston L. Prouty, a U.S. Senator from Vermont. Hall had been widowed since 1959, and Prouty a widower since 1960. Cook was a cousin of Vernon Cook, who served in the Ohio State Legislature.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Stoyer, Lloyd (December 15, 1957). "Biography in Brief: He Knows the Power of a Doorbell". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, OH. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Robert E. Cook in U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946". Ancestry.com. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com LLC. July 22, 1942. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  3. ^ "Winners in U.S. House Races". The Daily Reporter. Dover, OH. United Press International. November 5, 1958. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "GOP Picks Up 2 Seats from Ohio In Congress". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, OH. Associated Press. November 10, 1960. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Rep. Cook to be Judge". The News-Herald. Willoughby, OH. November 12, 1962. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "3 Judges take Oaths Feb. 6". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, OH. January 16, 1969. p. D5 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c d "Robert Cook, Was Senior Judge on Ohio 11th District Appeals Court". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, OH. November 29, 1988. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 11th congressional district

January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1963
Succeeded by