Douglas Duane “Doug” Cook, of Hutchinson, Kansas, died peacefully on June 27, 2023. Doug was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mentor, and friend who will be missed by many. He was born in a stone house in Carneiro, Kansas in 1932, and moved to Hutchinson when he was 10 years old. In the interim, his family moved to Oatman, Arizona where his father worked in a gold mine for four years during the Depression.
Doug met his best friend and the love of his life, Carol Lee Herr, from Great Bend, at a bar in Hutchinson in 1952. They married soon after and had two daughters, Melinda and Kim. Their lives in Hutchinson were extremely full, thanks to the many friendships they had over the more than 70 years they called it home together. From Friday night dinners at The Anchor Inn, quarter games of pool, working every September at the Kansas State Fair, and to countless moments with friends in between, Doug and Carol thoroughly enjoyed each other and others loved to be in their presence.
Doug loved cars, trucks, motorcycles, go-karts, tractors and anything else with an engine. He bought his first car at age 16, and then had to learn to drive it. Doug was a member of the Prairie Pups Motorcycle Club for many years, participating in Motocross and some wonderful road trips with his friends. Carol accompanied him on some of those trips, including a 2-week motorcycle trip through Mexico in 1974. Neither Doug nor Carol spoke a word of Spanish, but they somehow managed to get their motorcycle repaired when it broke down and were able to make their way back to Hutchinson.
Work was important to Doug, and he inspired many others with his work ethic. He was proud to report that he had held 24 jobs in his life, starting with delivering prescriptions on his bicycle for the Peter Rabbit Delivery Service in Hutchinson at age 10. Doug eventually joined Lowen Corporation where he worked for 53 years, including several years as Senior VP. He felt blessed by the many relationships he developed while working at Lowen’s. During Doug’s time at Lowen’s, he hired and mentored many young people who became lifelong friends. He loved to give young people a chance, and they, in turn, worked hard to follow the example he set for them. Doug always worked hard to do his best at any job he undertook, and prided himself on doing a job correctly, and to the best of his ability.
After retirement, Doug took care of Carol during her long illness and concentrated on the many projects waiting for him in one of his several garages. He also enjoyed visiting estate sales where he bought many ‘good bargains’, eventually accumulating 130 shovels and 98 hammers that were “just too good to pass up”.
Doug also excelled as a grandfather. He loved to do projects with each of his grandchildren, and was always interested in their many activities, whether in Topeka, Austin, Fort Collins, or Boise. Doug was known to show up in Topeka, ready to build a pergola for Cook, Caleb, and Grace, or to build a clubhouse for Grant and Hale in Austin over a Thanksgiving weekend. His grandchildren treasure their many memories of time with their grandfather.
Doug is survived by: his two daughters and their husbands, Melinda McMichael (James) and Kim Jones (Clif); grandchildren, Amy McMichael Paddock (Richard), Grant McMichael, Hale McMichael (Rebecca Thrower), Cook Jones (Jaci Kettler), Caleb Jones (Marie), Grace Jones (Aaron Mohr); and great-grandchildren, Luke Paddock, Hayes Paddock, Liam McMichael, Lawrence McMichael, Maggie Jones, Robbie Jones, August Mohr, Vivienne Mohr, and one on the way. He was also close to and treasured his relationships with his many nieces and nephews. Doug was preceded in death by: his wife, Carol Lee Herr Cook; brother, Loren Cook; and sister, Norma Hayes.
A family graveside service at Memorial Park is planned, followed by a memorial service to honor Doug at the First Congregational Church, 3401 N. Plum Street, Hutchinson on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. Friends may sign his book from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Hutchinson Art Association, Fund for Reno County-Hutchinson Community Foundation, or the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation, in care of the Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.