Obituary

Charles Louis Cook, a resident of Charleston, WV, passed away on January 16, 2024, after a long illness.

Charlie, as he was known to many, was born November 7, 1925, to Howard and Ruth (Schmiedel) Cook of Suffield, OH. Charlie grew up on an Ohio family farm and graduated from Suffield Township High School before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Force in January 1944. Charlie served on a B-24 bomber crew as a ball turret gunner during WW II. Charlie loved aviation and piloted small planes on his boyhood farm in Suffield, OH. In 1998, at 73 years old, Charlie attended the Fly Warriors Air Combat School in Pensacola, FL, and flew a T-34A Mentor. Charlie received the American Theater Ribbon and WWII Victory Metal for his service in WW II.

After the war, Charlie went to work for Cook Motor Lines. Charlie served as Vice President of Operations and Terminal Manager for Cook Motor Lines until he retired in 1988. While working and living in Charleston, Charlie met and married Sadie Meade on May 7, 1952. Charlie and Sadie were blessed with a daughter, Betty on September 13, 1957.

Charlie’s hobbies were golfing and mechanically restoring antique cars. Charlie re-built a 1919 Sizaire-Berwick 25/50 Model and a 1950 Bentley Mark VI. Charlie and Sadie enjoyed driving the Bentley across the country to classic Rolls-Royce car meets. Sadie passed in 1992 after a long illness.

In 1994, Charlie re-married Carol (Snyder) Swartz of Charleston. Charlie and Carol loved to travel abroad, attend the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Rolls-Royce car meets and Baptist Temple church services. Charlie was a Christian and member of the Baptist Temple.

Charlie was preceded in death by his first wife, Sadie; parents, Howard and Ruth Cook of Suffield, OH; brothers, Leigh Cook, Belpre, OH, James, Harry and Chester Cook, Suffield, OH, and sisters, Joann Moreland, Akron, OH, Mary Jane Vaddaz, Heartville, OH, Mariam Ullm, Miami, OK, Pauline Mianowski, Suffield, OH.

He’s survived by his wife, Carol Cook, Charleston, WV; daughter, Betty (Cook) Keller, Cross Lanes, WV; brother, Vance Cook, Akron, OH; step children, Brian Snyder, West Haven, UT, Matthew Snyder, Vienna, VA and Shellie Colvin, Clayton, GA; grandchildren, Ryan Keller, Richmond, VA, and Eric Keller, Boise, ID, and great-grandchildren, August and Elliott Keller, Richmond, VA, and Eleanor Keller, Boise, ID.

Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 22, 2024, at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston. WV, with Dr. Jim Hewitt officiating. Burial will follow at Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans, WV.

Visitation will begin one hour prior at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to HospiceCare.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com .

Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston, WV, has been entrusted with the arrangements.