Obituary of Jeffrey Claude Cook

Jeffrey Claude Cook, of Vestal, passed away on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. Jeff lived the life of an accomplished outdoorsman surrounded by family, to whom he was and will always be beloved. Husband to Myrna ( Vlasak) and proud father of four sons, Jeff's positive influence on our community will last beyond his death through his lifelong work as an outdoorsman, craftsman, and arborist. Jeff and Myrna married in August 1999 and together they raised Miles, Matt, Jake and Riley. Jeff parented with patience and a calm demeanor while sharing his love of the outdoors and commitment to living a life you love. He created space for his children, and all his loved ones, to determine what it meant to live a good and happy life. Despite the challenges of losing his son Matt in October 2020, and managing a cancer diagnosis, he worked diligently to support his family and employees as his illness progressed. His continued dedication to his family in his last months is only a sliver of the full life he led in his 64 years. Jeff was born to Leo and Nanda Cook on December 8, 1956 and was the best brother to siblings Gary (Val), Scott (Mary), David (Terri) Cook, and Sue (Rick) Phelps. He joyfully shared in the many family moments across generations: marriages, birthdays, graduations, and family reunions. He's remembered as a thoughtful yet happy-go-lucky uncle to his siblings' many children and he'll be remembered through their stories as a truly *great* uncle to those nieces' and nephews' young children. His woodworking lives in homes across the country. Meals he's made provided not simply delicious nourishment but were the spark for memorable discussions and time well-lived. He showed care for his community as a small business owner, and at the time of his death operated For the Trees, LLC, which served the greater Southern Tier community. Jeff's lifetime of work as an arborist was only one way he lived as an outdoorsman. He spent countless summers with family and friends at Sandy Pond, NY. As a fisherman and hunter he found peace in the trees, on the water, and within the greater natural world, where he's now lovingly returned. Jeff was predeceased by his father, Leo Cook Sr., and son Matthew. Other relatives surviving Jeff are his mother, Nanda Cook, mother and father in law, Myrna and Frank Vlasak and Frank Vlasak Jr. To honor Matt and Jeffs memory, take a moment today, and everyday, to spread kindness, share a good meal, or listen to the trees. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3