Duane L. Cook

Duane L. Cook, 70 of rural Baker, Minnesota passed away peacefully at his home on the morning of Saturday, August 15, 2009, from cancer, surrounded by his loving family. Visitation will be Friday from 4"8 with a Prayer Service at 7 in the Dobmeier Funeral Home, Barnesville. Graveside service will be held on Saturday at 2 in Elmwood Cemetery, rural Sabin with Pastor Nancy Emerson officiating. Pallbearers will be Jeff Cook, Dan Cook, Bob Cook, Kip Cook, Roger Johnson, Alan Johnson, Rick Heitzman and Bryan Hines. Fellowship and lunch will follow the graveside service at the Sabin Community Center, Sabin. Duane was born on June 16, 1939, to Charles and Ella (McColgin) Cook, near Baker. As a boy he attended District 58 country school and graduated in 1957 from Barnesville High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army immediately after school and spent most of his three years of service in Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1960 and returned to the Baker area. He married Sharon Stephenson on September 29, 1962 in North Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The couple made their home near Baker. As a journeyman plumber, Duane worked for Twin City Construction for 21 years. He achieved his Master Plumber License and began Cook Plumbing in 1985. He purchased Moorhead Plumbing four years later. He retired in 2002 and continued to live near Baker, wintering in Arizona. His passions included gardening, playing cribbage and enjoying his grandchildren. He also loved going to auction sales, collecting farm equipment, dancing and visiting friends and family. Duane donated time to the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag and participated in many local parades with his 1963 convertible. He was a member of the Baker Downer Westminster Presbyterian Church, a charter member and former President of the Sabin Lions Club and a board member of the Elmwood Cemetery Association. Duane will be remembered most of all for his love of life and the land, friendship, an unending sense of humor and the twinkle in his eye. He is survived by his former wife and friend, Sharon Cook of Fargo; his children, Tammy (Bryan) Hines of Gladstone, Oregon and Steve (Emily) Cook of Moorhead; his siblings, Amy Jean (John) Johnson of Barnesville, Grace (Ralph) Heitzman of Gilbert, Minnesota, Kenneth (Janice) Cook of Downer, Minnesota, Curt (Dorothy) Cook of rural Baker; four grandsons, Hawk and Jesse Cook both at home in Moorhead and Christian and Isaiah Hines both at home in Gladstone. He is also survived by his special friend Kathy Spaeth of Clear Lake, Minnesota and his loving and faithful dog Mia. He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Walter; his sister, Dorothy and two brothers-in-law, John Johnson and Ralph Heitzman.