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Olden V. Cook, 90 of Kerrville, passed away Monday, December 13, 2021, in a local care center. He was born on August 10, 1931, in a small three room house on a 40 acre farm near Porter, Oklahoma, in the middle of the great dust bowl days. His parents were Perry O. Cook and Mildred Williams Cook, both of whom preceded him in death. Olden commenced his education in a one room, eight grade school, with one teacher, a full-blood Cherokee Indian woman. He always believed he got a better education in this school than most first through third graders do today because he got to listen to instruction for all eight grades every day. He graduated in 1949 from Wagoner High School as president of his graduating class and as the declared "Best Boy Citizen" of Wagoner, Oklahoma High School.
He entered Oklahoma A & M College, (now Oklahoma State University) with a full scholarship, to major in Forestry. However, following his Junior year, he made a decision to enter the ministry, and transferred to David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, for a degree in Bible and Ministry.
He had married his college sweetheart, Margaret Renick, in September, 1952. That marriage lasted for nearly 54 years, ending with her death in 2006. Two children were added to this family — a daughter, Cindy Mathis and spouse, Steve of Denison, Texas, and a son, Kendall Cook and spouse, Kristi of Lubbock, Texas. Both survive, along with three grandchildren, Carolyn Parfait and spouse, Haven, April Sloan and spouse, Tyler and Lauren Cook; and five great-grandchildren, Katie Gearinger, Carlianne Gearinger, Haven Parfait II, Ryder Sloan and Harper Sloan.
Olden served as pulpit minister, during his 65 years of preaching in churches of Christ in Wynne, Arkansas, Idabel and McAlester, Oklahoma and in Sherman, Kerrville and Collinsville, Texas. He spent his last 17 years, before retirement, as the minister of the Kerrville Church of Christ. Following seven years of retirement living on the banks of Lake Texoma, he went back to full-time ministry for 7 years with the church in Collinsville, Texas. It was during this period that Margaret died, and that after 16 months he married a long-time friend, Gari Chauvette, in 2007. In 2010, they returned to Kerrville where they spent a very happy retirement time. He took great pride in two step-children who survive, Scott Chauvette and spouse, Sarah of Laporte, Texas and Deanna Stanley and spouse, Ray of Kerrville; step-granddaughter, Alayna Stanley and step-grandson, Travis Chauvette.
Olden was very active in community affairs. He was a member of Lions International for nearly 50 years, serving as president of the Sherman Lions Club, and as Charter president of the Kerrville Sunrise Lions Club. He served in nearly every club office, was named Lion of the Year several times in both Sherman and Kerrville, was named District Lion of the Year in District 2A-2 in 1995-96, was awarded two Melvin Jones Fellowships, one by his Kerrville club, and one by District 2A-2, after having served as Cabinet Secretary for the district. He also received the International President’s Award of Appreciation.
Cook also served on numerous boards, including being the Chairman of the President's Club of the Sherman Chamber of Commerce, a board member for the Handicapped Children's Hospital of Sherman, a charter Board Member of Pettijohn Springs Christian Camp in Madill, Oklahoma, and was Camp Director of Sooner Youth Camp at Ardmore, Oklahoma, for 32 years. While living in Sherman, he was elected as a board member of the Lions Club Handicapped Childrens Camp in Kerrville. As a result of several trips to Kerrville for board meetings and to bring children to camp, he fell in love with the Hill Country, and, consequently, moved to Kerrville at his first opportunity. This love for the Hill Country and Kerrville continued to the very end of his life.
He also served as an elder for the Riverside Church of Christ in Kerrville, for over two years, resigning for health reasons.
Memorial services will be held at 11 AM, Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Riverside Church of Christ officiated by Mr. Jerry Lawlis.
He entered Oklahoma A & M College, (now Oklahoma State University) with a full scholarship, to major in Forestry. However, following his Junior year, he made a decision to enter the ministry, and transferred to David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, for a degree in Bible and Ministry.
He had married his college sweetheart, Margaret Renick, in September, 1952. That marriage lasted for nearly 54 years, ending with her death in 2006. Two children were added to this family — a daughter, Cindy Mathis and spouse, Steve of Denison, Texas, and a son, Kendall Cook and spouse, Kristi of Lubbock, Texas. Both survive, along with three grandchildren, Carolyn Parfait and spouse, Haven, April Sloan and spouse, Tyler and Lauren Cook; and five great-grandchildren, Katie Gearinger, Carlianne Gearinger, Haven Parfait II, Ryder Sloan and Harper Sloan.
Olden served as pulpit minister, during his 65 years of preaching in churches of Christ in Wynne, Arkansas, Idabel and McAlester, Oklahoma and in Sherman, Kerrville and Collinsville, Texas. He spent his last 17 years, before retirement, as the minister of the Kerrville Church of Christ. Following seven years of retirement living on the banks of Lake Texoma, he went back to full-time ministry for 7 years with the church in Collinsville, Texas. It was during this period that Margaret died, and that after 16 months he married a long-time friend, Gari Chauvette, in 2007. In 2010, they returned to Kerrville where they spent a very happy retirement time. He took great pride in two step-children who survive, Scott Chauvette and spouse, Sarah of Laporte, Texas and Deanna Stanley and spouse, Ray of Kerrville; step-granddaughter, Alayna Stanley and step-grandson, Travis Chauvette.
Olden was very active in community affairs. He was a member of Lions International for nearly 50 years, serving as president of the Sherman Lions Club, and as Charter president of the Kerrville Sunrise Lions Club. He served in nearly every club office, was named Lion of the Year several times in both Sherman and Kerrville, was named District Lion of the Year in District 2A-2 in 1995-96, was awarded two Melvin Jones Fellowships, one by his Kerrville club, and one by District 2A-2, after having served as Cabinet Secretary for the district. He also received the International President’s Award of Appreciation.
Cook also served on numerous boards, including being the Chairman of the President's Club of the Sherman Chamber of Commerce, a board member for the Handicapped Children's Hospital of Sherman, a charter Board Member of Pettijohn Springs Christian Camp in Madill, Oklahoma, and was Camp Director of Sooner Youth Camp at Ardmore, Oklahoma, for 32 years. While living in Sherman, he was elected as a board member of the Lions Club Handicapped Childrens Camp in Kerrville. As a result of several trips to Kerrville for board meetings and to bring children to camp, he fell in love with the Hill Country, and, consequently, moved to Kerrville at his first opportunity. This love for the Hill Country and Kerrville continued to the very end of his life.
He also served as an elder for the Riverside Church of Christ in Kerrville, for over two years, resigning for health reasons.
Memorial services will be held at 11 AM, Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Riverside Church of Christ officiated by Mr. Jerry Lawlis.