James "Jim" Erwin Cook

Jim was born on April 22, 1941, in Oak Park, IL, the son of the late Glen and Mary Jeanne Cook. In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his brother, Tom, and his sister, Kris.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Susan McEnally Jackson of New Bern; a son, Brian Robert Cook and husband Scott Shumaker of Portland, OR; a daughter, Cynthia Jeanne Novak and husband Brad Novak of Geneva, IL; three grandchildren: Max Novak, Abby Novak, and Lily Novak, all of Chicago, IL. Jim is also survived by a brother, David Cook of Bloomington, IN; numerous nieces and nephews, and too many friends to count.

Jim graduated from Isaac C. Elston High School in Michigan City, IN in 1959, where he excelled in track, especially on the 880 relay team, where he was given the nickname "Bullet" by his friends and teammates. He went on to serve in the US Air Force, was stationed in Goose Bay, Labrador, and then took classes at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. Jim spent more than three decades as a small business owner and franchise operator for a number of companies, including Village Inn Pizza Parlor, Baskin Robbins, and the Athletic Attic.

Jim most enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, attending their school sporting events in Geneva (IL), and watching any kind of sports on television. He was a lifelong Indiana University sports fan, and kept a truly impressive amount of sports information in his head. He also enjoyed traveling to visit his son in Washington, DC, and northern California. Jim was always open to making new friends, enjoying good food, and sharing his big personality (and lots of laughs) with everyone he met.

Jim was a member of the Centenary United Methodist Church in New Bern, where he was active in the United Methodist Men’s group. Through that work, he traveled to Mississippi with other church volunteers to assist in the cleanup efforts after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He also enjoyed volunteering at the Oaks Road Academy, where he was a favorite amongst the young children.

Jim was cremated, arrangements made by Cotten Funeral Home in New Bern. His family invites friends and relatives to join them in a service to celebrate Jim’s life at 11 am on Saturday January 21, Centenary United Methodist Church in New Bern. A reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow.

Memorial contributions in Jim’s name may be made to Centenary United Methodist Church or Habitat for Humanity. To send plant a tree in memory of Jim Cook please visit https://shop.arborday.org/commemorative-trees-in-memory or https://thetreesremember.com/.