Peter Randolph McCook

Peter Randolph McCook was a man who felt life so deeply and fully that you couldn't help but feel the same way when you were with him. He moved through life with a rare curiosity and an unfaltering warmth toward the people around him.

Peter was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, to Daniel McCook and Judith Callaway McCook. He grew up in Darien, Connecticut, and Dallas, Texas, where he graduated from Highland Park High School. Active in choir and orchestra, he earned All State honors as a cellist. His parents helped found the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, of which Peter was one of its first members. Growing up, he spent many seasons skiing and fly fishing in Colorado with his parents and younger brother, Charles, and attended Adventure Unlimited Ranches as a camper.

Passionate about history and his faith, Peter earned a Bachelor's in Political Science from Principia College in Illinois, where he met his wife, Debra Jones McCook. Peter and Debra married on September 5, 1981, and moved to Tyler, Texas, where they settled and raised their four children: Meredith Joy, Megan Judith, Russell James, and David Randolph.

Peter dedicated over four decades of his career to the oil and natural gas industry as a petroleum landman. After his father's passing, he joined his brother at the McCook Company, which eventually moved from Dallas to an office within walking distance of his home in Tyler.

Peter loved God and the practice of Christian Science with his whole heart. An active member of First Church of Christ, Scientist in Tyler, Texas, he served in many roles within the congregation, including First Reader, Sunday School Superintendent, and member of the building committee overseeing the church's reconstruction.

Debra and Peter travelled to some incredible places together, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the Galapagos Islands. Peter also took his family on many other wonderful getaways, from summer roadtrips to Chicago and Colorado, to European adventures in Italy and Austria, and cruises in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Alaska.

A lifelong fan of Texas sports, Peter was a Dallas Cowboys season ticket holder for 60 years, member of the Founders' Club, and even attended Super Bowl XLV hosted at the newly built AT&T stadium in Arlington.

Peter nurtured a love of music in his children. He delighted in listening to them make music, whether in a concert hall, on the stage, or in their home together. He was always delighted by new artists he discovered and took great joy in sharing music with the people he loved.

For the past 20 years, one of Peter's favorite places was the family's Lake Palestine home. He enjoyed afternoons on the water, taking the kids tubing, and hosting friends for holiday barbeques.

Every day, Peter wore his heart on his sleeve. He was the family's documentarian, capturing every concert, soccer game, birthday, and vacation on camera. Watching his family grow and flourish, he treated every moment as a memory worth celebrating.

Peter passed away at home on February 20, 2026, with Debbie, his beloved wife of 45 years, by his side. His love continues to live on through his children, Meredith & Harrison Poole, Megan McCook, Russell & Benjamin Nissen-McCook, and David McCook & Natalie Buban.

A private celebration of Peter's life will be held with his immediate family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Tyler, Texas, or to the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." –The Beatles