Dr. Denton L. Cook

COOK, DR. DENTON L., 91, of Leesburg, FL passed away on Wednesday, March 24, 2004. Dr. Cook spent over thirty years as a state and county school administrator. Most of this time was in Tampa and Hillsborough County. After retiring in 1966, he became Director of Administration in American Samoa. Dr. Cook served on numerous state and national committees. He authored a number of professional articles. He lectured at Florida Southern College in 1962 and at the College of Education of the University of Florida in 1965. He served on the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education to evaluate programs at the University of Miami, Florida and Florida State. During 1964-1965, Dr. Cook was Chairman of the Florida Research and Development Council. This was an area of the University of Florida which worked with Public Schools. His travels took him around the world three times. One of his experiences was the Trans- Siberian railway, a weeks trip through eleven time zones- During World War II, Dr. Cook served as a naval officer. After the war, be was on the Board of Directors which revived the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. He was a charter stock holder in the opening of four Central Florida banks during the years after World War II. He received his Bachelors Degree from the University of Nebraska. his Masters Degree from the University of Florida and his Doctorate Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. He also has established many scholarship endowments at both Wayne State University and the University of Florida. Dr. Cook is survived by his daughters, Mona Cook McGrath of Windermere, FL; Marnette Byrkit of Pensacola, FL; daughter-in- law, Irene Cook of CA; brothers, Wayne Cook and Bill Cook of Nebraska; sisters, Helen Toogood of AZ and Ruth Morocco of Nebraska; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife's, Vivian Hughes Cook and Doris Cogburn Cook and his son, Denny M. Cook, M.D. Dr. Cook's services were private at his request, with burial at Oak Hill Cemetery, Clermont, FL. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Becker Family Funeral Home, Clermont, Florida is in charge of the arrangements.