Richard Wade Cook

Richard W. Cook, age 86, affectionately known as “Cookie”, passed away at his home in Niceville, Florida on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. He was born on May 11, 1939 in Seebert, West Virginia to Wade Hampton and Bessie Pearl Cook.

Richard attended his grade school years at Hillsboro Grade School in Pocahontas County, West Viriginia and Nallen Grade School in Nicholas County, West Virginia. His mother passed in 1942 and he later moved to Niceville, Florida to live with his brother and his wife, Garfield and Vonceil Cook. He graduated from Choctawhatchee High School in Shalimar, Florida, where he met his high school sweetheart, Ruby Dell Harrison. They worked together at the Drive-In Theatre in Shalimar, Florida. They were married on March 13, 1958 and spent 62 wonderful, loving years together until she passed on August 13, 2020.

Richard had different jobs in Niceville, Florida and Buffalo, New York. He and Eddie Jones eventually went into business together and built a very prominent flooring business, known as C & J Floors, until he retired in 2011.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents Wade Hampton and Bessie Pearl Cook, his loving wife Ruby Dell Cook, and his son Richard Wayne Cook. He was also preceded in death by ten of his siblings: Violet Grose (Albert), Opal Absher (Marvin), Garland Cook (Dolly), Harold “Bum” Cook (Opal), Garfield Cook (Vonceil), Samuel Cook (Mary Ann), Lucille McDuffie (Glennon), Gail Cook, Winnifred Davis (Fred), Henley “Joe” Cook (Sylvia). On his wife’s side, he was preceded in death by his brother-in-law Chester Morris “Moe” Davis.

Richard is survived by his daughter Lana Rochelle Henson (RJ), his son Randall Wade Cook, his grandchildren Richard Duane Cook (Lyndsay), Brandon Wade Cook (Casey), Timothy Cole Mathews, and Levi Harrison Mathews (Halle), his great-grandchildren Colay and Cailyn. He is also survived by his sister Juanita Cutlip, sisters-in-law Margie Nell Davis, Mary Ann Burdette Cook, and Sylvia A. Vass Cook, and many nieces and nephews.

Richard always loved to go home to West Virginia where family reunions were held every yar and some Christmases. The entire family misses those days, all the wonderful memories of blue grass music, fishing, laughs, love, and adventures. They all learned the true meaning of “Almost Heaven West Virginia” where God and family are everything.

Everyone knew that Richard knew he was hard-working and extremely determined, loved construction loved old cars and trucks, hard a dry sense of humor and a snickering laugh, and would help anyone. He was such a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather (Cookie), brother, and true friend. May his memory be a blessing and may we carry forth his legacy of love and compassion in all that we do.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Heritage Gardens in Niceville, Florida on Saturday, June 21, 2025 honoring both Richard and Ruby Cook. Visitation will be held at 1:00pm with the service to follow at 2:00pm and will be officiated by Mike and Rita Cook.

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