Bruce Cook

Our loving Dad passed away unexpectedly from recent health complications on Saturday, September 28th, 2024. He was just 15 days away from turning 66.

How can we put into words how much you meant to us in just a few paragraphs? It seems like an impossible task. Here it goes.

Robert Bruce Cook was born October 13, 1958, in Billings, MT, to Arlene Kearney Cook and Alton J. Cook. Our Grandma Arlene loved to tell the story of how Bruce came to be. Grandpa and Grandma had three boys, and our Grandpa Alton had convinced our grandma to have just one more baby. He promised it would be a girl. Our Grandma would then point to Dad and exclaim, “And there she is,” followed by a giggle.

Dad grew up in Montana, living in Billings, Lewistown, Hardin, and Helena. He spent most of his childhood and teen years in Lewistown where he made lots of memories and life-long friendships. He graduated in 1976 from Fergus High School and then did a year of college in Bozeman before moving to Helena for a short time. He eventually settled in Billings, MT in the early 80's. At that time, Dad was working for Northwest Pipe where he met his future father-in-law, Don Cooper. It was then that he went to work for Don in February of 1983 for Allied Technical Sales.

While working for Allied Technical Sales, he met our mom, Kristie Cooper. They were married in 1984, and in 1986 Stephanie Lynne Cook was born followed by the birth of Tyler Alton Cook in 1988.

Dad had many interests. He loved music and passed that love of music down to his children. One of his favorite things to do when we heard a song on the radio was to quiz us on who sang the song, the title of the song, etc. (These were the days before the internet) He knew so much about music because of his diverse taste in genres. Another thing Dad loved to do was to burst into random song lyrics that he felt were relevant to the topic of conversation at hand. We will really miss that.

He was really athletic and loved playing golf, basketball, baseball, and softball. Through the years he played on recreational basketball and softball teams, as well as playing countless holes of golf. I know he treasured each and every friendship he made through those endeavors. In recent summers he was a Mustangs Booster. He loved getting out and watching the games, grabbing a burger, and talking with everyone who came to grab a beer. We are forever grateful to the Booster organization that brought so much joy to Dad's life.

Dad was an incredibly hard worker and extremely smart. He was most recently working part-time at Evergreen Ace Hardware. The friendships he made there with his customers and co-workers were truly a blessing for Dad. He especially enjoyed seeing all the pets that came into the store, and he made friends with them as well. He was a huge animal lover and had lots of pets over the years, cats and dogs alike. His most recent beloved dogs Nama, Jasper, and Texie were dear to his heart, and they loved him too.

Dad loved his children and grandchildren unconditionally. He loved and lived for us, there was nothing he wouldn't do to help us be happy and successful in life. When we would tell him we loved him he would say, “MORE!” and we would reply with a resounding “MOST!”

He cared so much about the people in his life that he prided himself on being the “first” to say Happy Birthday or to make sure we all got home safe and sound. We will forever miss his inappropriate and quick-witted sense of humor, his check-in texts, stories, road trips, and just him. We will miss him forever.

Dad is survived by his children, Stephanie (Ryan) Mahar, and Tyler (Erin), brothers Keith Cook and Ralph Cook (Barbara), grandchildren Jackson Cook and Magnolia Mahar, Kim Waldmann and her daughters Ashley (Will), Aleia, and Ashley and Will's children, Gia and Eli. He is also survived by lots of special nieces, nephews, cousins, and many treasured friends.

He is preceded in death by his father Alton, his mother Arlene, and brother Jim Cook.

Cremation has taken place, and a private family service will be held graveside in Lewistown, MT in the spring. A celebration of life memorial will also be planned for the near future, details will be on Facebook, or an email can be sent to tyler@tkoautos.com to be added to the guest list.

The family would like to thank Dahl Funeral Chapel in Billings, MT for their compassion and professional services during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bruce's name may be made to Landon's Legacy Foundation, P.O. Box 80542 Billings, MT 59108. Condolences for the family may be posted online at dahlfuneralchapel.com.