By Staff
PENSACOLA - George C. “Bubba” Cook Jr., 55, died unexpectedly at home, Saturday, April 10, 2010.
Bubba was very involved in the local community and was currently serving as the Treasurer of the Five Flags Football Association. In the past he had served as President of the Florida Funeral’s Directors Association, the Nine Mile Road Kiwanis Club and was a member of the Cantonment Masonic Lodge having once served as its Worshipful Master. He was also past President of the Tate Quarterback Club as well as having been a football official and baseball umpire. When he first moved to Pensacola, he was very active with the Innerarity Point volunteer Fire Dept., achieving the rank of Assistant Chief. During the time that his children were growing up he coached baseball and softball and was known as and still is called “Coach Bubba” by many.
At the age of 18, Bubba got his start in the funeral profession, he soon discovered that he excelled in the art and had found his career. Over the next 37 years he helped thousands of families deal with the loss of their loved ones and was appreciated by everyone with whom he came in contact. Bubba will be greatly missed; he was a very special man who has gone on to a better place where we know that he was received with open arms by his father and his grandparents and where he now waits for his loved ones to join him.
Bubba is survived by his loving wife, Sandra; his son, Jay; his daughter, Kathryn; his daughter-in-law, Samantha; his two precious granddaughters whom his world revolved; his mother, Carol Cook of Panama City, Fla.; his sisters, Elaine (Tommy) Carr and Julie (Pete) Slatcoff; his brother, Tommy (Susan) Cook; his loving in-laws, whom he loved as his own, Ed and Cornelia Downs, Frank and Susan Downs and Kathleen and Jim Brank all of Lynn Haven, Fla. He was blessed with many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and leaves behind many dear friends and co-workers especially his close friend and neighbor, Jim Lee whom he always thought of as another brother.
Viewing and visitation was held from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 1394 E. Nine Mile Rd., Pensacola, Fla. with the funeral service starting at 7 p.m.
Bubba will be taken to Panama City for a viewing and visitation from noon until 2 p.m. today, April 14, 2010 at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2350 Frankford Ave. Panama City, Fla. with the funeral service beginning at 2 p.m. Burial will follow at the Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home and Trahan Family Funeral home in Pensacola, Fla. are in charge of arrangements.