Herman Walter Cook, Jr.

Herman Walter Cook Jr. passed away peacefully on June 16th, 2020, in his home at Beau Ridge Independent Living in Ridgeland, Ms. He was a native of Coral Gables, Florida, born on November 18th, 1930, the only son of Dr. Herman Cook and Vivian Turner Cook.

Buck, as he was nicknamed, attended Ponce De Leon School. He enlisted in the Army after High School, becoming a First Lieutenant in the Tank Corps and later a paratrooper. After returning from the army, he spent a year in Nicaragua, and later took courses at Mexico City College, in Mexico City, Mexico. Once back in Florida, Buck enrolled in the University of Miami, graduating in 1956 with a degree in business. As a student he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

In 1955, he married his wife Patricia who survives him. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on April 2nd of this year. They were very active in many clubs, including the University of Miami Alumni, the Coral Gables Country Club, and both were devoted football fans to the Hurricanes and held season tickets for over 40 years.

He became an insurance broker and opened an insurance office in Homestead, Florida, specializing in commercial insurance. He served as insurance advisor to the Coral Gables City Board and mayor Raul Valdez-Fauli. In 1993, after Hurricane Andrew destroyed his insurance office, Pat and Buck moved to Monarch Country Club in Palm City, Florida, and later they joined their son in Ohio, and finally Mississippi. Buck was Vice President of JCs, winning the Kirk Landon Award for work raising money for orphan children in Miami. He was a member of the University Baptist Church, a true sportsman, who loved hunting, fishing, and golf. He enjoyed many happy hours in his boat fishing off South Florida with his only son Kevin. He and Pat loved to travel and had many fond memories of their adventures.

Survivors include his son Kevin, and his wife Shana, beloved grandchildren, Christopher, Taylor, Addyson, and Ellen. A sister Betty June Randolph of Marshall, Virginia, a nephew Archibald Randolph, and a niece Jane Cary Randolph, as well as a host of great nieces and nephews.

A private service will be held in his memory. As Buck was a survivor of both Melanoma and Lung Cancer, the family kindly requests condolences be made in his honor to The Amercian Cancer Society.