Herbert COOK

1931 - 2018

Herbert "Bud" Cook, 87, of Philadelphia, PA, died on Monday, April 2, 2018 in Jupiter, FL. He'd say his greatest accomplishment was not his building the world's largest pork packing company but rather his adoring 16 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and his faithful dog, Ramsey. Cook was born and raised during the Great Depression in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia in 1931, the son of Rose and Harry Cook. Rose gave him the nickname, her "Buddy" which stuck forever. Cook was forced to drop out of Germantown High School when his father died suddenly leaving their small family retail meat market at Second & Poplar Streets in disarray. Then, from 1950, Cook and his mother Rose steadily built their butcher shop into one of the nation's leading pork processors and Philadelphia's largest meat company, Bluebird Foods. (Rose became a Horatio Alger Award Winner in 1977 for her own 'Rags-to-Riches' story.) Cook recognized the need and opportunity to grow Bluebird and in 1960 became the first independent meat packer to build a modern plant in Philadelphia's new Food Distribution Center. Cook became an accomplished executive, teaching himself the finance, law, engineering and manufacturing necessary to grow Bluebird into a $3-Billion (adjusted to today's values) national, Fortune 500 company which became New York Stock Exchange-listed. Considered a pioneer in the meat business, he developed progressive and innovative techniques still in use today. And after selling Bluebird to a British company in 1979, Cook went on to build a new, highly successful smoked ham company, Cook Foods which continues to be the nation's leading smoked ham producer and marketer. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Cook served on numerous Philadelphia-area Boards, including Hahnemann Medical College & Hospital along with various philanthropic pursuits. He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Charlotte Elaine Cook and their children Harry, Susan, Robert, Eve and devoted Matthew Lerer. And Ramsey. Services will be held Sunday in Philadelphia.