Ernest Gene Cook

Ernest Gene Cook was born July 6, 1957 to Oswell (Shorty) and Mildred Irene (Barton) Cook.  He passed away following a short illness on June 6, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri at the age of 63.

Ernie was saved during VBS at Valley Center Baptist Church at the age of 10 and baptized at Akers on June 30, 1968.  He remained a lifelong member of Valley Center.

He was united in marriage on November 27, 1998 to Debbie (Huffman) King and she brought two children to the marriage, Carrie Leanne (King) Houck and Kyle James King.

Ernie held many jobs over the years from running the skidder while logging with his brothers to several union construction jobs and later ran a loader filling the kilns at Royal Oak Charcoal until he retired.

Ernie was a fine banjo picker and enjoyed bluegrass music.  He loved life, especially going to the Holler and visiting with family and friends.  He had three true loves in his life, his wife Debbie and his two dogs, Rusty and Sissy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Shorty and Mildred Cook.

Ernie is survived by his wife Debbie; daughter Carrie and her husband Jason Houck and son Kyle King; four grandkids, Tyler and Mya Houck and Hayden and Harper King; his brothers, Jerry and his wife Susan, Jim and his wife Sharon, Bernie and his wife Bonnie and Rick and his wife Vi; several nieces and nephews as well as other family members and friends.

He will be sadly missed, our loss is Heaven’s gain.