Donn Alan Cook

He was born in 1939 in Portland, Oregon, to Harold and Ruth (Clump) Cook and was the youngest of four children. He attended the first five years of school in Portland, OR and, after his family moved to Escondido, CA in 1950, completed his education and graduated from Escondido Union High School in 1957. He attended the University of Nevada in Reno from 1957 through 1958.

Donn served in the U.S. Army from 1959 through 1962 and was stationed at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. He married Julia Fitt in 1960 and from this marriage came five children – David, Douglas, Kriston, Daniel, and Matthew.

In 1965, Donn graduated from the University of Utah and accepted a teaching position at Foothill High School in Tustin, Orange County, CA, where he taught high school science from 1965 through 1999. He did graduate work at San Diego State University, Princeton University, Florida Institute of Technology, University of Nevada at Reno, Cal State University at Fullerton, and earned a Master’s Degree from Chapman College in Orange, CA in Science Education. He loved to learn and won summer National Science Foundation scholarships to attend universities in Florida, Wyoming, Montana and California.

From an early age, he loved the outdoors and this interest in natural history would lead him to visit and scale mountain ranges all over the world. His list of mountains climbed is far too extensive to list here. He was an active member of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club and was in many climbing sections, including completion of 268 climbs in the Hundred Peaks Section. He also climbed the high point of many countries and almost all of the 50 states. His love of cycling resulted in rides all over the country and in Europe. Through his teaching, he learned to enjoy the night sky and introduced many students to the beauty and mystery of the universe.

Donn was a keen observer of the natural world. He enjoyed bird and butterfly watching and developed extensive lists of birds and butterflies seen in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and he built extensive collections of minerals and fossils over the years. His interests caused him to visit nearly every state in the country and at least 32 foreign countries. Since 2000, he was a volunteer naturalist for Boulder County Parks and Open Space and helped develop and give programs in the community.

Donn greatly loved his children and grandchildren. He was proud that all five of his children completed 2-year church missions and served in Japan, Guatemala, New Caledonia, and the United States, and many of his grandchildren have accomplished their own missions and educational goals.

After a chance meeting on a hiking trip in New Zealand, Donn moved to Boulder, CO in 1999 and married Catherine Griswold in 2002. They enjoyed sharing their interests and their love of travel by taking hiking, birding, butterflying, biking, and natural history trips to many parts of the world. In 2009, they moved from Boulder to Longmont when Donn was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Ruth (Clump) Cook and his sister Marilyn Watts of Madras, OR.

Donn is survived by his loving wife, Cathy, of Longmont, CO; by his daughter, Kriston (Dave) Bahney, of Victorville, CA; and his four sons, David (Misako) of McKinney, TX; Douglas (Yumiko) of Draper, UT; Daniel (Camsien) of Santa Ana, CA; and Matthew (Justina) of Manti, UT; two step-sons, Jon Person of Denver, CO; Dave Person of Duluth, MN; and by 23 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two brothers, Richard (Heidi) of Oceanside, CA and Ken (Mary Lou) of La Quinta, CA.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. The family has chosen to celebrate his life at a later date. If you wish to honor Donn Cook, the family encourages the planting of native wildflowers, a tree, or other means of remembering and honoring Donn and his love of nature. In lieu of flowers, please donate to TRU Community Care, 2594 Trailridge Dr. E., Lafayette, CO 80026, Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, 1325 S. Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222, the Sierra Club, or your favorite environmental organization. Please visit www.howemortuary.com to share memories and condolences with the family.