“Don” Donald Lee Cook died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, from complications of a MitraClip heart valve procedure at the age of 91. He was a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend and hero in the eyes of many.
Don was born in Lewiston on Oct. 18, 1932, to Muriel and Lloyd Cook. He grew up and was raised on the homestead family ranch in Lenore at the of top the Cook’s Grade named after his grandfather. Don attended and graduated from Lapwai High School in 1951. During part of his senior year he was tasked with driving the school bus from Lenore to Lapwai when the bus driver, Chub Ralston, was injured in an accident and could not drive.
Don was a U.S. Army veteran and was deployed to Japan during the Korean War after graduating from high school. He would often amuse his grandchildren by counting to 10 in Japanese. Upon returning from the war, Don ran logging truck operation that supplied logs to former Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus until Andrus Mill shut down due to economic reasons.
Don married his beautiful wife, Carolyn Theresa (Nibler) Cook, on Oct. 21, 1957. They resided in Lewiston and Don farmed his father-in-law, Walter Nibler’s, homestead (Nibler Farm) between Genesee and Uniontown. He worked in the winter for Adams Car Sales and was the top salesman for those years. He recalled brokering a few special deals for friends, including the purchase of two silage trucks that were the early beginning of Larry Boyer and Sons, who built an empire with their farming business in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley.
In 1965, Don and his family moved to Colton and took on an additional lease of 900 acres on the Lee Ranch at the head of Steptoe Canyon where he was extremely successful at farming. This is where he raised five children: Dan, Doug, Renee, Mark and Lilas for the next 15 years. Their lives on the farm were filled with hard work mixed with lots of adventure, especially when the cousins came to visit for the summer.
In 1979, he built his wife’s dream home in the Tammany Creek area across from the current Lewiston Roundup, in preparation for the Lee Ranch lease expiring in 1980. Their vast home included designs she dreamed of for years, and even an indoor arena so she could train horses all winter. He continued to farm the Nibler Farm until his retirement in 1997 when his son, Doug Cook, took over.
Don also operated the very successful Circle C Trailers, a horse and cargo trailer sales business, on Thain Road from 1987-97. He found immense joy in working with the public and customers, making new acquaintances and friends.
One of Don’s greatest passions and part of his legacy was as president, director and member of the 49ers Saddle Club, the Oldest Saddle Club in Idaho, over the final decades of his life. Carolyn and he were lifelong members and received the distinguished Life Time Achievement Award for their level of commitment over many decades. They are the longest living members to date. During one of his terms as President he rescued the non-profit club from bankruptcy offering his own financial support to the club. He went on to do the hard groundwork and put together most of sponsorships and sign boards you can see at the arena today. This effort helped rebuild the financial stability of the club thanks to the support of many great sponsors in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. He continued to meticulously care for the 49ers facility keeping it in pristine condition until this fall. At 90 you would still find him doing all the weed spraying, mowing and continuing to help with repairs and maintenance. No weed was safe when Don had a sprayer in hand.
He enjoyed traveling and watching his grandchildren Rachelle, Ezrah and Denali, his children, and wife’s successes in the sport of Rodeo, mostly barrel racing. He drove his daughter, Renee, to countless rodeos so she could rest on the drive, but was so nervous when she ran that his heart would nearly pound out of his chest. In his final few years was he able to watch (mostly via Cowboy Channel) the wonderful success of his granddaughter Rachelle Riggers as one of the top 25 professional barrel racers in the world standings, including watching her right up to Colombia Circuit Finals three days before leaving us, still cheering with arms in the air.
Don loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. Elk hunting was his passion and from the early age of 13 he filled the freezer virtually every year. He was an exceptional marksman and received a medal for his marksmanship in the Army. He spent several decades with successful years hunting in Alaska with his son Mark, and often Doug, Dan and other family members. Their adventures included hunting moose, caribou, Kodiak brown bear, bison and Dall sheep. His last Dall sheep hunt was at 72 years old, still traversing the glaciers and steep mountain terrain in the Chugach Mountains with passion and ease. Mark and Don had a very close bound in the relationship through all their adventures along with his other sons Doug and Dan. Adventures and his trek through the mountains are where he found the most peace and harmony in his journey through life.
There wasn’t anything that Don couldn’t fix. If there was something that needed worked on, you better give Don a call, and he would be there in about 10 minutes to solve the problem and do so with meticulous attention to detail. He always had a project and 99% of the time it was to help out a friend, neighbor or family member. His extreme generosity with his time and knowledge is a rare trait, but if you asked him, it’s what kept him young and alive. He loved being able to make others’ lives a little easier and less stressful.
Don’s legacy will be remembered for his high level of extreme hard work ethic, integrity, dedication, perseverance, generosity and success. This level of work ethic and merit-based accomplishments is part the foundation and legacy of what this great nation was built on. His legacy will continue to shine through his children, grandchildren, friends and acquaintances for years to come.
Don is survived by his wife Carolyn Cook, children Renee Cook Riggers of Lewiston, Lilas (Tim) Davis of Genesee, Mark (Rena) Cook Genesee and North Pole, Alaska, brother in-law David Nibler, and 10 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by sons Doug and Dan J. Cook, his siblings Vivian Ward, Dorothy Springer, Clarence Cook and Kathleen Weyel, and his grandchildren Adam Cook, and Dan T. Cook.
Funeral Services will be held Monday, Nov 6, at All Saints Catholic Church, 3330 14th St., Lewiston. Rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m. and the Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. A lunch and video presentation will follow at the Church from noon to 1:30 p.m. Burial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the Uniontown Catholic Cemetery. All are welcome to attend all of the ceremonies.
Service Information
- Date & Time
- Monday, November 6, 11:00 AM
- Location
-
All Saints Catholic Church
3330 14th Street
Lewiston, ID 83501
Get Directions - Additional Details
- Burial will be held at St. Boniface Cemetery in Uniontown, Washington at 2:30 p.m.
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