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Father. Son. Brother. Husband. Engineer. Entrepreneur. Eternal optimist. John Cooke, a longtime resident of Hingham and Scituate, passed away on June 15, 2013.
Born on June 11, 1936 and raised in South Boston, John was the eldest son of the late Patrick Joseph Cooke and Mary Madeline (Gibbs) Cooke.
John graduated from Boston Technical High School and attended Tufts University where he studied engineering and enjoyed competitive swimming.
John worked several years for Beacon Construction Company before creating his own business, Energy Services and Management, which was among the first New England firms to engineer, lease and manage cogenerated power systems and sustainable energy solutions in the 1970's and 1980's.
Together with his wife, Dorothy Ann (Tognella) Cooke, John raised four children, all of whom attended Milton Academy. True to his word, John believed there was no better gift and investment he could make than educating his children!
John was a gifted artist who loved drawing and painting horses, clowns and seascapes. Although he sometimes struggled to steer a steady windward course, John enjoyed no greater pleasure than sailing with family and friends in Quincy and Massachusetts Bay.
In spite of significant lifelong health challenges, John was incredibly and unflappably positive. His courage, intelligence, optimism and sense of humor, especially amidst adversity, were an inspiration for all who knew, loved and cared for him.
John is survived by Dorothy Cooke, his four children and six grandchildren; Brian Cooke and Monica Cyrino of Albuquerque NM; Kevin and Lori (LeClair), Jaimee and Katy Cooke of Pembroke MA; Alan and Michele (McCartin), Margaret, Emma, Sophie and Ann Cooke of The Woodlands TX; and Susan Cooke of Hingham MA.
John and his family are forever grateful for the extraordinary kindness and professional care provided by the doctors, nurses and staff of LifeCare Center in Scituate where John lived very happily in his final years.
At John's request there will be no calling hours or funeral mass. A private celebration of John's life is planned for the summer of 2013. The 9:30 am mass on August 18th at St. Monica's Catholic Church in South Boston will be dedicated for John as he wished.
In honor of John and his caregivers, donations may be made to Care Dimensions - Hospice & Palliative Care: https://www.caredimensions.org/about
Be joyful in memory of John Cooke, a brilliant and generous man who lived and worked with great love for family, friends, the ocean and the Boston Red Sox.
Please share your recollections, stories and photos of John via this memorial website.
