Obituary

William latimer cooke, jr. 83, of charleston, west virginia, passed away peacefully on january 18, 2017 at his home. Bill cooke will best be remembered as the gentleman proprietor of latimer’s ltd., and a successful small businessman who helped his customers for decades with a new suit, a fine tie, and a kind word. Bill was born in charleston, february 11, 1933. He attended philips academy at andover (’51) and williams college (’55).

Bill began his career in sales at wchs, and later learned the art of haberdashery at frankenberger’s department store. Bill opened latimer’s ltd. In 1969 in downtown charleston. He was joined at latimer’s by his wife, ann, and together they worked tirelessly as a thoughtful team to take care of their customers, their employees, and their community for 23 years.

In addition to his work in retail, bill served as a director at boxley materials company, as a director of charleston renaissance corporation and the charleston downtown association, and as an active member of numerous civic organizations, including the charleston urban renewal authority, the charleston rotary club, and edgewood country club. With charleston renaissance and the downtown association, bill was a leader in the redevelopment of the village district encompassing capitol, quarrier, hale, lee and summers streets following the opening of the charleston town center. He and ann also adopted, redesigned and maintained the garden at the corner of quarrier and dickinson streets in memory of their son, will. Together, he and ann were instrumental in bringing competitive bicycle racing to downtown with the charleston downtown criterium. Many knew bill as an avid runner, completing many more charleston distance runs than all of the rest of his immediate and extended family members combined.

Bill was an active, life-long member of st. John’s episcopal church. He was a kind husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend. At latimer’s, you could count on seeing bill each morning, rain or shine, sweeping the store front on quarrier street, and greeting all who passed with a smile. He welcomed the latimer’s shopper as well as anyone else who might need a warm drink on a cold day.

Bill was preceded in death by parents, william latimer cooke and sally ann boxley cooke, his loving wife of 48 years, ann clancy cooke, son, william latimer cooke, iv and daughter, laura clancy cooke.

Bill is survived by brother, james boxley cooke and his wife jane menge cooke of baltimore, maryland; his sister, sally ann meek and her husband john burgess meek of norfolk, virginia; son, andrew boxley cooke and his wife marjorie havighurst cooke, and his grandchildren william canfield cooke and hayden latimer cooke, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. The family of bill cooke wishes to thank his tremendous caregivers including teresa walker, sumer moffatt, whitney brester, brandy bailey, marva crouch, dorothy newell, and the nursing staff of hospice care.

A memorial service celebrating bill’s life will be held in charleston, january 28, 2017, at 2:00 p.M., at st. John’s episcopal church, 1105 quarrier street. The reverend marquita l. Hutchens will officiate.

You may send condolences to the family at:www.Barlowbonsall.Com

arrangements are being handled by barlow bonsall funeral home.