Robert Warren Cook

Granbury resident, Artist Robert Warren (Bob) Cook passed into the hands of our Lord on December 14, 2025, at his home in Granbury, Texas. Born in Kansas City, Missouri to Charles and Ada Lou (York) Cook on December 24, 1942. Bob graduated from Shawnee Mission High School, attended Baker University and the Kansas City Art Institute, going straight to the Architectural Illustration Business for 45 years. He moved to Florida to work as an architectural artist for Disney on the Disney World Complex creating dozens of works, exhibits, and cruise ships. He later moved to Dallas, Tx to take the job of Art Director of Prelim, Inc. Two years later he bought the company creating hundreds of projects in the US, including NFL stadiums, schools, commercial and government, then took his company internationally working with companies from Japan, Mexico, Europe and the Middle-East creating over 14,000 projects that included commercial buildings, ships, aircraft, schools and more across the globe. Upon retirement he donated his entire portfolio of Prelim's work to the architectural department, where he had donated time as a guest instructor, at Texas Tech University in Midland, TX. During his career in Prelim, Inc he continued with his fine art paintings, entering shows and exhibits across the US and internationally. Once retired he began painting full time, entering art shows nationwide. His prestigious wins included first place at the Los Angeles Audubon Society National Show, Florida and Louisiana Watercolor Societies, and more. Bob won Tarleton State Rio Brazos Art Exhibit four years consecutively, and the Southwestern Watercolor Society, Florida Watercolor Society, Louisiana Watercolor Society, and The Stars of Texas "Best of Show" awards. He has received awards from Italy, Japan, Viet Nam, England, Germany, and Australia. Awards from Lake Granbury Art Association and across the US are too numerous to list. One dear to him as a classic car enthusiast was the commission to create the illustrations for the National Corvette Museum, where two of his original paintings hang and prints are for sale at the museum. Other unique art projects include creating five book covers for several authors and logo's for four state Corvette Clubs. Locally Bob donated his time for 20 years to create illustrations of new buildings, and work to help raise funding to build fifteen buildings, including the new school, at Happy Hill Farm, North Central Texas Academy, working closely with founder Ed Shipman. Collectors of his work number into the thousands including Disney Corp, Champlain Oil Company, Texas Instruments, The National Corvette Museum, Texas Baptist Convention, and others. His art has also been featured on the covers of magazines and in newspapers as the winning artist or featured artist for years. In 2017 he was selected as the featured artist of the year by Tarleton University in their annual Langdon Review Book and art show featuring eight of his paintings. His painting, Lipan Portrait was the University choice for the book's cover. His painting Oak Island has been used in scenes on the national TV show and for two other book covers. His wife Carol has used two of his paintings for covers for her books. Bob is a member of the Lake Granbury Art Association and past board member of the Arts Commission in Granbury, Texas. While living in Florida Bob took up sailing and competed in sailboat racing from Florida through the Caribbean, winning award after award. An avid car enthusiast, he participated with the National Corvette Restoration Club, becoming a constant winner with his Corvettes, as well as an accredited judge for show Corvettes. He sold his last Corvette in 2005, bought his lake home and took up fishing and creating dozens of paintings in his studio overlooking Lake Granbury. Your Private Collection, on the square in Granbury, Texas has featured and sold his work since 2009. Bob completed 90% of his bucket list by 2017 that included being hired by Disney for designs of Disney World in Orlando, Winning a National Sailing Championship in Ocean Racing, being featured on the cover of Yachting Magazine sailing a 55' Morgan racer, caught a 114 lb Sailfish off the coast of Mexico, won the Senior Ocean Racing Circuit, beating his rival Ted Turner for first place, owned/operated Prelim, Inc. creating illustrations/paintings across the globe, restored two classic Corvettes, won four Top Flight awards with NCRS, Man of the Year award and NCRS Master Judge, invited to the White House to meet President Carter with the business owners of the USA, sailed and won his race on America's Cup Yacht Stars and Stripes, Sailed on a large sailing yacht through the Panama Canal, won the National Watercolor Society Silver Star for Best in Show, painted in plein-air with ten international accredited artist in Spain and France. He is survived by his wife Carol of 35 years, his son Steven W. Cook and wife Holly, his brother Charles(Chuck) and wife Kim and their children, Christopher, Taylor, and Ashley. Step-daughters Stephanie Adame and husband Adam, Deanna Stirling, step-granddaughters, Ana Maccioli, Misha Johnson, Amy Jacobsen, and Sonya Adame. He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter Kelly Cook Anderson. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert, please visit our floral store.