Rick and Marilyn Cook

     Rick and Marilyn Cook have been our best friends for 40 years.  They were our first good friends when John Leighton and I moved into their neighborhood when we first returned from Hawaii.  Our children both went to the same school, Gettysburg Elementary in Norwalk, CA.  David, their oldest and my son Gene were in the same class in Kindergarten and their two younger kids, Bruce and Vickie had not started school yet.  Our daughter, Sharlee was in first grade.       John and I used to go to the school and perform each year for both assemblies and in the kids’ classrooms. 
     During our career they were active as both friends and in our fan club and being who they are, they were always there for whoever needed them, whenever they were needed.  For instance when John got sick, and before he went to Long Beach Veterans Hospital, our dining room became a hospital room.  It sat at the front window overlooking the porch and front of our home in Santa Fe Springs (we moved there in 1970,)  Rick had put in a ramp so that John could go in his wheel chair to get some fresh air.   That was short lived and so when he went to bed for good Rick set up mirrors in his room so he could see into the kitchen and the entry to the living room.
     There were so very many things around the house that he fixed to provide John with every comfort.  In fact, the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. sent out a Doctor once a week, provided us with a suction machine, an adjustable hospital bed, and a standing board.  Rick and Marilyn came nearly every day and Rick would put him on the standing board for about 30 minutes to keep his circulation up in case he got well someday.  They came to visit and encourage.  You couldn’t have asked for better friends.
     After John went into the Veteran’s hospital, they were two of the very few friends who came to visit John.  On the day John died Marvin had taken me to see John and then to a benefit for the family of a musician friend who died because there had been so many benefits for John.  I told John I would go on to work from there.  Just before we left the benefit I got a phone call message that told me I needed to stop by the house before I went to work.
     When we pulled into our street we saw Rick and Marilyn’s car parked in front.  I knew right then what had happened.  My sister Vivian came out of the house followed by Rick and Marilyn as we pulled into the driveway and told me John had passed away.  I was devastated (as was Marvin.)  But they were there to bring me through the crisis.
     Later on, after Marvin and I married we were still best friends with them as well.  When Marvin had his first heart surgery they were there to help after he came home.  They were there every time there was a crisis. And whenever we would go out, we would go with them.  They came over to play cards and Pipes & Ladders and just to visit.
     When Marvin became a Christian and we started going to Bethel Community Church, we invited them to visit.  They liked it and began to come regularly.  Marilyn had been going to church all her life, and while I know she knew Jesus, she had never prayed the sinner’s prayer.  One day at the Women’s Bible Study I had the privilege of praying that prayer with her.  After she went home,     Rick prayed it with her.  Rick and Marvin became a part of the Men’s Council.
     Being who he was, Rick began to be the ‘go to’ guy for things that needed to be done around the church.  When we moved to South Orange County and they changed to Redeemer Covenant Church and he became the ‘go to’ guy there, too.  He fixed plumbing, painted, replaced windows, whatever they needed.  Marilyn is just like him.  They are both servants and the best friends anyone could ever have.
     A few months ago Rick noticed a lump on his shoulder that grew quickly and was causing a lot of pain.  We all began to pray it wasn’t anything serious.  Less than a year ago, we lost another of our dear friends, Wayne Tubbs.  He and Bev were also great friends to us and the Cooks for many years.  In fact Wayne presented me with an Ovation guitar several years ago.  He said it was a gift from Jesus. Wayne Tubbs died in March 2004 of a fast moving Cancer. Rick and Marilyn were there for Bev, too.
     Rick’s fight came to an end on Wednesday February 22, 2006.  In his home, with Marilyn and their son, David and his wife by his side, he went to be with Jesus.  While we know he is in a much better place, he is already missed more than we can say and being selfish as we are, life will never be the same without him.  But he’s there with Wayne and John and our other friends, Bill and Otis having a really great time of rejoicing, while we who are waiting our turn we are having a pity party.  Not really, we are rejoicing that Rick is with Jesus and is no longer in pain, and has a new body.  His real life has only just begun.