Charles Cook

Former Coffeyville resident, Charles E. Cook entered into eternal rest on Thursday, October 11, 2007 in Grove, Oklaomha. He was 84. Charles was born November 18, 1922 in Coffeyville to Isaac John and Hazel M. Kniseley Cook. He grew up and attended schools in Coffeyville and graduated from Field Kindley High School in 1941. He attended Coffeyville Junior College and later joined the Army Air Corp in November 1942. His occupation in the service was Armorer Gunner 612 and Assistant Radio Operator Mechanic Gunner 757. Charles received the Purple Heart, Middle Eastern Ribbon with three Battle Stars, the Air Medal with one Gold Leaf Cluster, two Overseas Service Bars and the Good Conduct Medal. He served in the battles at Normandy, Northern France and Air Offensive Europe. His plane was shot down over Austria in April 1944 and he was held prisioner of war in Stalag 17 in Germany for thirteen months. He was honorably discharged in October 1945. On November 9, 1946 he married Bonnie Jean Card in Columbus, Kansas. The couple made their home in Coffeyville where he worked for Farmland Industries until his retirement in 1985. Charles enjoyed spending time at Grand Lake. He was a member of the Adkar Shiners Club, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Ex-prisioners of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and the Masonic Lodge. He is survived by one son John Cook of Celebration, Florida, one daughter, Kelley Vaughan of Arkansas City, KS. His grandchildren are Darin Vaughan from New Bern, North Carolina, Zaac Cook and wife Danielle of Atlanta, Georgia, Candace Ayersman and husband Justin of Coraopolis, Pennsyvania, Christiana Cook and John Morgan Cook of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. a sister Clela Butler of Tulsa, Oklahoma and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Bonnie in 1998, a daughter Ray Lynn, 3 sisters Naomi Browning, Maxine Lay and Leona Wooten; a brother Frankie Cook. Services will be held at 2:00 p .m. on Wednesday October 17, 2007 at Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Gale Ellis will officiate and burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville. Friends may call on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Funeral Home to sign the guest register. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shiners Crippled Childrens Transportation Fund . These may be left with the funeral home.