I came across TLA+ today, which immediately reminded me of the Programming Language class and the days you guided us through the nuanced definitions and theorems in Agda. I want to say a late thank you. I remember you dearly.  You had such a great impact on my life that we wouldn’t have known back then. The knowledge you taught me has been an inspiration, and a motivation for me to learn all these new things that I never thought I could. I will miss you, Dr Cook, every time I open Agda. I really enjoyed your lessons. I wish I could take more lessons from you.

i still think of my time at Brown as another childhood, even if it was just a phase. if i had to guess, William (the only name he answered to back then) didn't feel that way, because he effortlessly connected with everyone.

during a short elevator ride, Craig divulged that someone had spoken ill of me. he wouldn't have done that if i hadn't been William's friend. dinner with Brian and Debbie wouldn't have happened if it weren't for William's introduction. (he said they were hermits.) there were so many gatherings, i'm not sure how i graduated.

i didn't feel like i was William's satellite because, James was also in the mix. maybe he was our center? it doesn't matter; if there was a center, it doesn't exist now.

remembrance poems 
             _____           _____
   _____            _____

Putting right for time.
Could I have managed haiku -
Rain from summer past?

Had known then of sobered selves:
Those passed by, unpleasantly.
              _____            _____
   _____            _____           

Mourning from a mic
Where accolades cannot skip -
Winter ice turn snow.

I miss connecting with you.
Your connection is regained.
c. cook

I loved Uncle Randy very much and will miss him deeply. I send my thoughts and prayers to the family. I love you Aunt Karen. I remember when we were kids and yall would take us to the beach we had so much fun. RIP

Will always remember you and your corky ways. You were a good man and son in law and i will forever love you.

Man, Dr. Cook was my favorite professor! So sad to see that he passed. I took his class during a semester when the pandemic began, so I did not get to connect with him as much as I wanted to. He was an amazing professor, extremely intelligent and passionate about what he was teaching. He inspired me to learn Haskell and pursue more knowledge on the topic of programming languages.

Prof. Cook left an indelible mark on my life. As a graduate student, he took me under his wing and made my Ph. D possible. One thing I will never forget is what he taught me about writing; a good paper required just as much thought and revision as a complex piece of software.  We would revise conference papers several times until he felt the structure, pacing, and complexity was appropriate. I am grateful I had the chance to have him as my advisor.

The tool that William helped build was my *primary* work tool for 15 years, and is an indispensable one in my broader "toolbox" to this day (27 years total). Perhaps a scripting language - something almost intangible seems too abstract to understand how it could impact the lives of its users. It's no different than tasking a person with digging a 6x6x3 foot hole in the ground, with a 1 hour time limit - and giving him the choice between a shovel, and a backhoe. Sure, it may take 45 of the 60 minutes to learn the tool the first time, but how empowered is that user for the future?
All that to say this: The tool he helped build, helped me earn my living for decades - and with a unique satisfaction in all I was able to accomplish, without being a "programmer" - and without the college education to become so.

OBITUARY

William Randall Cook

November 21, 1963 – October 27, 2021

Weed Corley Fish Funeral Homes and Cremation Services

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