Richard Cook, 67, died June 18th following a long course of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
Richard was born in 1954 in upstate New York and the family moved to California. He swam competitively, eventually ranked 18th in the world in the 400 free. He attended Stanford University where he met his wife Perry. They worked for several years for a travelling medical group as well as on her grandmother’s ranch where he fell in love with ranch life. After obtaining a degree in computer science, he worked for Northern Telecom, developing their 911 emergency system (and supporting Perry through medical school) and then transferred to Silicon Valley. After Perry finished her radiology residency, they moved to his dream ranch in Lander and where, he used to say, he traded software for “liveware”.
He lived in Lander for the next 30 years raising his two beloved children, Carlyn and Ross, and running cattle and sheep, caring for dogs and peacocks as well as extraneous parrots, cats, and geckos. He served on the Fremont County Library Board during construction of the new Lander library, as well as on the FCSD#1 board during planning and construction of the new high school. He coached the Lander Swim Club for over 20 years, always excited to see non-swimmers converted to swimmers and swimmers excel in racing. He loved horse packing in the mountains, hunting, reading, singing and shooting, but most of all spending time with his family and friends.
He was kind, loving, interested in everybody and everything. He epitomized the classic Renaissance man.
He is survived by his children Carlyn (in North Carolina), Ross (in Laramie), wife Perry and two sisters.
He will be sorely missed. Donations in his name can be made to the Lander Swim Club.
