Lewis Milton Cook

          On Friday, November 18, 2022, loving husband and father, Lewis Milton “Lew” Cook passed away at age 77, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. 

          Lew was born on July 19, 1945 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and spent most of his childhood and young adult years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  He graduated from Baton Rouge High School and attended Louisiana State University where he received a degree in physics and astronomy.  After moving to Austin, Texas, he attended the University of Texas and then worked at the Texas State Department of Health, where he met his wife, Donna, and became the stepdad of her two daughters.  In 1980, he was offered a job with Chevron, and the family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they remained after retirement.         

          Lew was preceded in death by his parents, Milton Ford Cook and Esther (Albrecht) Cook, and his brother, Erwin Boyd Cook.  He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Donna (Gholson) Cook; stepdaughters Kristin Legaspi, Rebecca Brassfield and her partner Keith Mitchell; three grandsons, Lucas Mitchell, Dominic and Brayden Legaspi; one sister, Alice Simmons, and her partner Karen Firment.

          Lew’s lifelong passion was astronomy and he built several telescopes which he used on every clear night, but he had many other shorter term interests—pilot and flight instructor, race car driver, amateur radio operator, cellist, violin maker, opera aficionado, kayaker, spelunker, salmon fisherman, gourmet cook, sheriff’s reservist, artist, actor, and the list goes on—never  a dull moment!  And he loved eating...especially lobster and crawfish!

          Lew’s wonderful sense of humor and positive attitude endeared him to his family, friends, and neighbors.  He will truly be missed but is with the angels looking down on us.

          The family wishes to thank the wonderful Kaiser Permanente doctors, hospice nurses and others who have been so kind and caring.  In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Kaiser Martinez Hospice, 200 Muir Road, Martinez, CA 94553, or Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lewis Milton Cook, please visit our floral store.