Mr. Archie Doyle Cook Sr.

Archie D. Cook Sr., 85, of Lake Jackson, Texas was taken into glory on Thursday May 13, 2010 following a long and courageous battle with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Services will be held at First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson on Sunday May 16, 2010 at 3:00 PM with pastors D. O. Foster and Lynn Monical presiding. Internment will be at Restwood Memorial Park. The family will receive guests on Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the Restwood Funeral Chapel.

Archie was born on January 20, 1925 in Atwell, Texas as the 3rd of seven children to Henry and Pauline Cook and was raised in Fort Worth. Upon graduation from high school he joined the Navy where he served on the aircraft carrier USS Bunkerhill during World War II. He married his life long mate, Mary Frances Johnson on April 17, 1943. While in the Navy he survived a kamakzee attack on his ship and was honorably discharged following the end of the war. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1950 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and began his distinguished career in the chemical industry.

After two assignments with chemical companies in West Texas, Archie came to work at Dow Chemical in Freeport in 1955. He became an expert in ethylene manufacturing technology. He was the project manager for the construction and startup of 2 Naphtha cracking Ethylene Plants in Terneuzen, Netherlands from 1967-1972. Then after a brief return to Freeport he was the project director for the design construction and startup of 2 Ethane cracking Ethylene Plants in Red Deer, Alberta Canada from 1977-1984. He retired from Dow in January 1985.

Archie was just as enthusiastic and passionate about his church work as he was about his professional working career. He and Mary joined the First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson when they moved to town in 1955. He became a Deacon on November 13, 1960 and served in many capacities at the church. He served as a Sunday School Teacher, the Sunday School Superintendent, on various Deacon committees, and was Chairmen of Deacons for 3 years. He was an avid supporter of foreign missions and had gone to South Africa twice on short term church building mission trips himself. But one of the things he enjoyed most was providing the fish and cooking it at the fish fries held for various church groups. This was a way he could combine his love for the outdoors (particularly fishing) with his love of people who came to enjoy the delicious meals he helped prepare.

Archie also served his local community wherever he lived. He joined the Rotary Club when he lived in Red Deer and served faithfully in many offices including the local president for one year. He continued his participation in Rotary when he returned to Lake Jackson and was very active in the Brazosport Rotary club. He was particularly proud of his 19 straight years of perfect attendance.

He enjoyed fishing and hunting and all kind of sports but he was particular good at golf. During his 70’s and early 80’s he was able to shoot his age or better on a number of occasions.

Archie was a very generous Christian with a serving heart. He was a faithful and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was a teacher to everyone in his family, to many of his colleagues at work, to his Sunday school department at church and to countless others whom he came in contact with. He was also an encourager of others as they struggled with life, and an example of the fact that hard work and perseverance do pay off in the end. He has been a Christian friend and comrade to people from many parts of the world. He has positively influenced hundreds, if not thousands, throughout his life and for that we are forever grateful.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Pauline Cook; his brother Floyd Cook, and son A. Doyle Cook Jr..

Archie is survived by his wife of 67 years Mary Frances (Johnson) Cook; his daughters, Kathy King and husband George of The Woodlands, Texas, Jo Ann Vigus and husband Mikel of West Columbia; daughter-in-law Vicki Cook of Lake Jackson; grandchildren, John W. Cook and wife Susanne of Lake Jackson, Carol Hunt and husband Jeff of San Antonio, Texas, Mark King of The Woodlands, Texas, Eric King of Fort Worth, Texas, and Braxton Vigus of West Columbia, Texas; great grandchildren Carsten and Christen Cook of Lake Jackson, Texas, and Landon and Tanner Hunt of San Antonio, Texas; his brother LeRoy Cook of Carrolton, Texas; his sisters Leola Thompson of Texarkana, Texas, Anna Mae McClaren of Fort Worth, Texas, Thelma Hancock of Katy, Texas, and Reba Spear of Austin, Texas and by numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends all of whom have been blessed by having Archie touch their lives.

Serving as Pall Bearers for his service will be Harold Wood, Johnnie Redden, James Ledbetter, Wayne O’Daniel, Bill Gilliam, Rudy Irwin, Wally Johnson, and Debs Cofer.

Honorary Pall Bearers will be the Adult 4 Men’s Sunday School Class and the First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson deacons.

The family would like to express their special appreciation for the help and support provided by the Day Surgery and Blood Lab staff at Brazosport Memorial Hospital where Archie got his blood checked weekly and received transfusions as needed. Also special thanks to Lance Tolbert and other staff at Help Inc. for care of Archie.

In Lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial gifts be made to one of the following:

• The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, P. O. Box 4486 Houston, TX 77210

• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072 Pittsfield, MA 01202

• Missions at First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson, 401 Yaupon Street Lake Jackson, Texas 77566

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” -------- John 14:1-7

Arrangements by Restwood Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Lake Jackson, Texas