Dr. James Cook 

JAMES E. COOK, JR., M.D.,  an old-fashioned family physician who made house calls and delivered more than 1,000 babies during 36 years of practice in Houston's Spring Branch area, died of multiple conditions Wednesday, April 30, 2008, in a Houston hospital. He was 75.

Born in Houston on the 9th of April 1933, Dr. Cook had recently celebrated his 75th birthday. Dr. Cook was a 1952 graduate of Stephen F. Austin High School in Houston. He received a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University in 1956, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. In 1960, he received his M.D. degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army at Ft. Polk, Louisiana from 1960-1962 and completed his internship at University Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi from 1962-1964.

Dr. Cook practiced general medicine in the Spring Branch area of Houston for 36 years until closing his practice in 2000. During that time, he served on the staff of Sam Houston Memorial Hospital, Spring Branch Memorial Hospital and Memorial City Hospital. The family lived near Spring Woods High School, and Cook was the doctor for the Spring Woods football team for about seven years. 

Dr. Cook was a member of the Texas A&M University Medical and Dental Society, the Harris County Medical Society , the Texas Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Fellow American Academy of Family Practice, and served as past president of the Western Branch of the Harris County Medical Society.

He was also a Director and 2nd Vice President of the Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Cook was a 32nd Degree Mason in both the S.P. Waltrip and Sul Ross Lodges, and served as a Deacon at Second Baptist Church and Tallowood Baptist Church.

James Cook was preceded in death by his parents, James and Lena Maye Cook, and brother, Claude Edward Cook, who taught Speech at Spring Woods High School.

He is survived by his childhood sweetheart and loving wife of 53 years, Carol; daughters, Kelly Cook Gauger and husband, Mark, Kimberly Cook Wagner and husband, Rodolphe, Karen Cook Selldin and husband, Gary, and Katherine Maye Cook, all of Houston. "Poppy's" precious grandchildren, Christopher, Brandon James, Francoise, Gauthier, Madison and Mackenzie; brother, Rev. Clyde Thomas Cook and wife, Connie; nephew, Christopher Cook and wife, Karen; niece, Cynthia Ann Ballaro; several great nephews and cousins; and many beloved patients and friends.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Friday, May 2, 2008 at Waltrip Funeral Directors. A Memorial service will be held at one o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday at Tallowood Baptist Church, 555 Tallowood Drive in Houston, with Rev. Duane Brooks, Rev. Larry Bertrand and Rev. Clyde Thomas Cook, officiating.

Interment will be private in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery. Pallbearers are sons-in-law, Mark Gauger, Gary Selldin and Rodolphe Wagner; grandsons Christopher Gauger, Brandon James Gauger and Gauthier Wagner; nephew, Christopher Cook; great nephews Matthew Ballaro and Tyler Cook; and long-time friend and patient Clark Pavlicek.

His family wishes to express their special gratitude for the kindness and support of the dedicated staff at Memorial City Hospital and Dr. Cook's treasured colleagues, Drs. Mark Yeoman, Mohammed Zafarnia, Thomas Keith, Byron Holt and Douglas Thibodeaux, all of whom are serving as honorary pallbearers.