Wendell Ray Cook

I'm Bruce,

I've known Wendell since his family moved across Hazelwood St. from me in the 5th grade. We connected right away and were close friends through grade school and Camelback High. We ride our bikes to Echo Canyon and climbed the Camel's head. We chased jackrabbits at the Biltmore with bow and arrows when it was surrounded by citrus groves. When the canal was drained we shot at huge carp. Hung out in the mesquite forest below the Wrigley Mansion. Also at Ship Rock, a landmark on N 32nd st.
Wendell's house was 2 Br, so Norman got the 2nd BR and Wendell got a closet and slept on the couch. Norman was married and eventually moved out and then things were more normal. In the summer I hung out Wendell's because they had AC, my house had an evap.
Wendell's Dad sold appliances at Montgomery Ward downtown. In the summer, we rode to work with him and went to the movies at the beautiful Fox Theater, had lunch at the Woolworth's counter, then took the bus home.
When mini-bikes became popular Wendell got one and we cruised the neighborhood with me on the back.
Wendell was an entrepreneur early on, and we made pot holders and sold them door to door. Four for a dollar.
Our parents didn't like camping so we made camp in the back yard in the summer. Nights were much cooler then.
To do some real camping we joined the Boy Scouts. We became squad leaders and camped at Lake Pleasant and on the Verde River with the troop. Wendell was more of a leader than me.
Wendell's first car was a '50 Plymouth wagon. We rebuilt the engine together. We took turns driving to school, me with my '56 Chevy.
Wendell was not big, but was fiesty and played offensive guard for the Spartans football team for two years.
He met a girl at his church and soon spent a lot of time with her, and I was jealous. She had a friend named Linda and we had a few double dates. We had another new friend in the neighborhood, Bob McMenamy, and I hung out with him on Central in his '58 Ford.
Linda would later become Wendell's wife and mother of two sons.
After high school we had to decide what to do about Vietnam. Wendell joined the Army and had a peaceful 2 years in Germany. Bob joined the Air Force Reserve. The biggest coward of the group, I went to college.
After high school, we didn't see much of each other. When Wendell came home, he became involved with brother Jack's carpet contract with Hallcraft homes. And that was the start of a VERY successful business career.
I glad I got to be Wendell's friend, with him I had a magical boyhood. In the 50's, you played outside all day and went home when called for supper.

Bruce Gerber