James Cook

James (Jim) S. Cook, 77, of Grand Island, Nebraska passed away on Thursday, May 4^th at CHI Health St. Francis.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, May 11^th at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Grand Island. Celebrating Mass will be Father Don Buhrman.  Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday with a Rosary at 7 pm at All Faiths Funeral Home, Grand Island. Online condolences may be left at giallfaiths.com. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.

Burial will be 10:00am Saturday, May 13^th at Calvary Cemetery in St. Peter, Minnesota.  Military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Navy and American Legion. A celebration of life will follow at Shoreland Country Club, St. Peter.  St. Peter Funeral Home is entrusted with committal services; www.saintpeterfuneralhome.com.

Jim was born on May 29^th, 1945 at St. Peter, Minnesota to Wilfred and Patricia (Stafford) Cook. He graduated from St. Peter High School, class of 1963. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy on July 12, 1963 and served his country until July 11, 1967. He served on the USS Intrepid during his time in the U.S. Navy. He was part of several historic events such as the recovery of the Gemini space capsule with astronauts Virgil Grissom and John Young on March 23, 1965. Jim also became the boxing champion for his weight class.

On August 17, 1968, he married the love of his life, Mary Jo Morgan. Jim attended computer school and worked as a computer operator in Golden Valley, MN. They moved back to St. Peter and Jim attended Mankato State College.  He went to work for Hiniker Company in 1970. Working as a sales representative for Hiniker Co. for 44 years, earning top salesman nearly every year he worked there. Jim finally retiring in 2014. His business was named, “Big Red Agri Sales, Inc.” 

Grand Island, Nebraska became their home in 1985.  James was passionate about the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  He loved playing golf, traveling to different States and golf courses.  He loved hunting ducks at Swan Lake, fishing, spending time at their cabin with family and friends in Minnesota.  Jim had his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying his plane.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 55 years, Mary Jo, children, Jamie Cook (Jeff) of Fall City, NE, Sean (Jennifer) Cook of Grand Island and Erin (Ashley) Cook of Grand Island, 10 grandchildren, a great granddaughter, and his brother Tom Cook of Pierre, SD.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Patty Pinske and brothers Harold and John Cook.