Gordon Cook married my dad's sister, LaNette Blackstock Cook over 40 years ago. He passed away after a long, hard, tooth and toenail fight with cancer on July 9th. I didn't get to see him very often growing up, but I loved listening to him talk when I did. He had a unique voice, slightly raspy, but rather than harsh it was soothingly pleasant. With that voice, he had something to say about everything and could care less what anybody else thought about it. I remember him with thick, gray hair and a Mountain Dew in hand.
The man who spoke at Uncle Gordon's service today said we were all Living Memorials of Gordon as he poured a piece of himself into all of us. He poured a seemingly small, but specific bit of himself into me when I was a dumb teenager by making me a cassette tape of Christian music by Carman that he loved. I listened to that tape as loud as I could play it in my car and in my house. Bible stories came alive and stirred in my heart. Truth poured into my knower as Carman belted out powerful words such as, "Not by might, not by power but by my Spirit says the Lord!" and "Lazarus, come forth!" From tape cassette to CD to MP3 I have carried that music for 3 decades and passed it on to my children. Many a time, my kids and I have jammed out to that music like crazy people. We have passionately prayed that music as we inserted the names of others into the songs. Tonight, as a 43 year old woman, I listen to them again in remembrance of Uncle Gordon and realize that I have not just sung those songs the last 3 decades, I have actually lived them, because of
Jesus, Lord of All. I know Uncle Gordon did and does too. "Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live!'" [John 11:25 KJV]
On the 45 minute drive from the service to the burial grounds, we celebrated Uncle Gordon and his gift to us by jamming out again to that music. I'm sharing those Living Memorials on this YouTube video singing to on our favorites, "Lazarus, Come Forth!": https://youtu.be/H03e3EnQ8S4
Uncle Gordon didn't want folks dressed in black, drab clothes. So we went with as much brightness as we had in our closets. So thankful my honey took a day off of work to be a support to my family and make sure we represented Uncle Gordon well.
The chapel was beautiful.
Beautiful couple! Together through thick and thin.
Honored and proud.
He was a good man and we are proud of him.
