William Patrick Cook

A descendant of the pioneer Cook and Rush families of Neshoba County, Mississippi, Pat was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi to William David and Agnes Rush Cook on February 4, 1930. He attended Philadelphia grammar school and graduated from Holy Cross High School in New Orleans and the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Later in his business career he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict with the distinguished 108th Fighter Bomber Wing. On February 28, 1954 he married Royce Geneva Edwards of Scooba, Mississippi.

Early in his career, Pat was recruited and hired by Walsh Construction Company of New York and immediately assigned to a Walsh-Perini joint venture as a cost engineer on industrial projects across the southeast. In 1961 he joined Blount Brothers Construction Company of Montgomery, Alabama as they commenced construction of the launch facilities at Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the NASA space program which included the launch facilities for the Apollo Space program, namely Complex 37, pads A and B, Complex 39, Pad A, the Crawlerway, and a large portion of the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Upon completion of the projects at Cape Canaveral, he moved to Blount headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama and in 1973 he was appointed Vice President-Finance. He remained with Blount as they expanded operations overseas and built a strong presence in the international construction market as Blount International, Ltd. In 1984, he joined Caddell Construction Co. Inc., also of Montgomery, serving as Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer until his retirement in 1997.

In addition to his parents, Pat is preceded in death by his brother, John Cook, and sisters, Mary Elizabeth Cook Gipson, Frances Cook White, Estelle Cook Hire, Annie Ruth Cook Allen, Polly Cook Nyby, and Martha Jane Cook Sabrio. Pat is survived by his wife, Royce Edwards Cook, daughter Janice Sue Cook, son William Patrick Cook II, and many cherished nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Friday, June 21, 2024, 9:30-11:00 a.m., at Holy Spirit Catholic Church followed by the Rite of Christian Burial and Mass of Resurrection at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Patrick Driscoll officiating, assisted by Deacon Raymond Gueret. Burial will follow at Alabama Heritage Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Montgomery, Alabama or Holy Cross Catholic Church, Philadelphia, Mississippi.