Carl Louis Cook

Carl Louis Cook, of Mt. Judea, Arkansas passed from this life on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at Cox Health South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri at the age of 75. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at the Mt. Judea Gymnasium. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, February 27 at Holt Memorial Chapel in Harrison, Ark. He was born August 24, 1941 in Mt. Judea to the late Beecher Franklin & Wilsie Ann (Hefley) Cook. A lifelong resident of Mt. Judea, Carl L. Cook graduated from Mt. Judea High School in 1959 and then graduated from Arkansas Polytechnical College (Arkansas Tech University) with bachelor's degrees in physical education and social studies. Upon graduation, he took a job at Mt. Judea High School where he was employed as basketball coach and history teacher from 1962 to 1966. In 1967, he was appointed to the position of director of the welfare department in Newton County. In 1977, he returned to education as the basketball coach and history teacher at Deer High School. He later returned to Mt. Judea High School, where he coached basketball and taught history, social studies, and economics from 1982 to the present day. He was most known for his success as basketball coach at Mt. Judea & Deer High Schools, where he gained a reputation as a fiery, passionate presence on the sidelines. He was an avid farmer who spent much of time his time tending to his Angus cattle. He was preceded in death by his parents; his grandparents, James Frederick & Nervie Ann (Criner) Cook and Elmer & Viola Hefley; and his brother-in-law Shelvon Lee Gregory. He is survived by the mother of his children, Linda (Johnson) Talbert, of Ozark, Arkansas; his son, Craig Lewis Cook and wife Melinda Jo (Bryant) Cook and his two granddaughters, Jayden Jo Cook and Cassandra LouAnn Cook of Ozark; his son Rodney Alan Cook of Tamuing, Guam; two sisters and one brother-in-law, Lina Jean Gregory, Judy Ann Cook-Campbell, and Ronnie David Campbell of Mt. Judea; and one nephew, Brinkley Beecher Cook-Campbell of Mt. Judea. Pallbearers will be Brinkley Cook-Campbell, Dusty Middleton, Elvis Middleton, Mack Cook, Joe Cook, Kevin Cook, Scottie Smith, and Warren Campbell. Honorary Pallbearers will be Murl Bryant, Ronnie Campbell, Jimmy Holt, Cecil Royce, Carl Royce, Rocky Nichols, Sam Dye, Billy Shatwell, and the staff and students at Mt. Judea School as well as all of his former ballplayers, students, coworkers, and friends. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Mt. Judea Athletic Fund.