Michael Dennis Cook

Michael D. Cook, age 74, of Hawthorne, California, died peacefully at home on December 5th, surrounded by his loved ones.

Michael was born in Brooklyn, New York. As a young boy, Michael attended Our Lady of Angels School and Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He was a member of the prestigious New York Archdiocesan Choir and an altar boy at Our Lady of Angels Church. He was a member of the Church’s Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Explorer Troops.

Michael was a self-taught lifelong learner. As a child, he loved all things mechanical. He was known to take apart bicycle bells, watches, and anything with moving parts. More often than not, he was able to reassemble them before his parents could intervene. As a grade school student, he would read car manuals before books.

Michael was an automobile enthusiast. Cars were his hobby and his work. He put in the same amount of energy into the performance of an inexpensive old car as he would the most expensive luxury car or race car.

For Michael, no legacy would be as important as the lessons and values he leaves his children and future generations by his example.

He was strong in his faith, and his family was his most cherished treasure. His strength was shown in his ability to show compassion and encouragement to others. He taught by example. Michael was an ethical and hard-working businessman. He treated his customers as if they were family. Michael was a model of fidelity, gratitude, courage, and moving forward even amid hardships. These were the values he learned from his parents and strove to pass on to his children and grandchildren.

Michael aimed to make the lives of those he loved better with his generosity and sense of humor. He was willing to have the joke be at his expense, provided it lightened the hearts of others. In addition to his energetic, cheerful, and animated personality, he had a wonderful gift of observation and reflection and was a profoundly philosophical thinker.

Michael was predeceased by his beloved parents John F Cook Sr., and Veronica Cook his nephews Joseph E. Cook and Sean F. Keating; He is survived by his wife Diane (Young-Suk) Hur, his children Damien Michael Cook and his wife Amira Ismail Cook, David Brien Cook, and his friend Evelia Garcia, Naomi April Cook, and her husband Justin Tullos and Julie Masushige (Mother of Bryan Kazuo and Hokulani), His grandchildren Bryan Kazuo Cook, Hokulani Finney, Colin Lim, Winston Michael Cook, and Benjamin Donovan Cook. Michael was eagerly awaiting the birth of his twin grandsons in February. He is also survived by his sister, Veronica Cook of New York, his brother and best friend John Cook of El Paso, Tx, and his wife Tram Cook, his brother, Edward Cook and his wife Diane Cook of Cleveland, Ohio, his sisters, Joan Catherine Cook Keating and her husband Michael Keating of Colorado Springs and Edna Marie Cook Benson and her husband Phil Benson of Boulder Colorado and his brother Kevin Patrick Cook of El Paso, Tx, and his many cherished Nieces and Nephews.

Rosary and viewing will be at American Martyrs Catholic Church from 7:00pm to 8:00pm on December 9th The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach on December 10th At 9:00am.

The family would like to thank Monsignor John Barry and the parish of American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church Community for their loving and gentle Pastoral care of Michael and his family.

Memorial Donations can be made to the Mission Projects at:

American Martyrs Roman Catholic Community

Memorial for Michael Cook

1432 Deegan Place

Manhattan Beach California

90266

Serving as pallbearers are Damien Cook, David Cook, John Cook, David Cook, Michael Keating and Bryan Cook.