Dale Ray Cook, 92, of North Platte, NE passed away and went home to the Lord on Friday, September 22, 2023 at Cozad Community Hospital.
Dale was born on February 21, 1931 in Timber Canyon, Scott City, Kansas, the son of Floyd and Murttis (Farr) Cook.
Dale grew up and attended school in the Scott City, Kansas area where he rode his horse “Trigger” back and forth to school every day. He used to say that he taught his horse multiplication tables on those rides. He graduated from Scott Community High School in 1949. He then went to work at Boeing Corporation in Wichita, KS, and then, wishing to see the world, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951. He traveled around the world twice during his time in the Navy and was honorably discharged in 1955. Following his service in the Navy, he returned to Scott City, later moving to Garden City, Kansas and working at Milhoun’s for 11 years and then with Burtis Motor Company for 30 years, retiring in 1996.
Dale married Jeane (O’Rourke) at 1st Baptist Church in North Platte on January 4, 1997. When Dale asked Jeane to marry him, she had three questions: what are your hobbies (of course his answer was Harley’s), toilet paper roll over or under, and where do you squeeze the toothpaste tube from, the bottom or in the middle? His great love was his Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which he and Jeane rode all over the country. They traveled from coast to coast in their 5th wheel with toy box trailer for easy transport of the Harley. Dale collected all things Harley-Davidson and had an extensive museum quality collection over the years. He enjoyed working in his woodshop on various projects and was meticulously clean and organized. He always organized his week into a different chore or duties to perform each day and maintained one of the nicest lawns in the neighborhood. He loved eagles, was a life-long Kansas City Chiefs fan, and was known by all as a classy and dignified gentleman. Dale loved spending time with his family and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Those left to cherish Dale’s memory are his wife of 26 years, Jeane; children, Katherine (Scott) Sperry of Garden City, KS, Calvin (Pam) Cook of Salina, KS, Jacqueline (Daryl) Black of Winside, NE, Judy (Randy) Nichelson of North Platte, John (Krystal) Mecomber of Hastings, Jacqueline (Bryan) Yenni of North Platte, Jeffrey (Lee Ann) Mecomber of Colorado City, CO, and Janet (Mike) Gaudreault of Gering, NE; daughter-in-law, Jane Mecomber of North Platte; 22 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; sister, Joanne (Robert) Black of Goodyear, AZ; as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Joseph Mecomber; and brothers and sister-in-law, Royce (Lola) Cook and Derald Cook.
Memorials may be made to the family for future designation or to the veteran’s organization of your choice.
Online condolences and the live stream of the service will be at www.adamsswanson.com.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 29, 2023 at the Adams & Swanson Funeral Home with Pastor Jeremy Rinke officiating. (Casual attire – as would be for a motorcycle ride is requested by the family). Burial will follow with military honors at Fort McPherson National Veterans Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation will be from 12 to 7 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 28th at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home, which has been entrusted with the arrangements.