Cook, Ronald G. 1937-2025 St. Joseph, Mo.

Ronald Gene Cook passed away on Oct. 24, 2025, in St. Joseph. He was born on May 11, 1937, in Dexter, Missouri.

He spent his early years in Dexter and then later moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1955. After high school he joined the Air Force and was a member of the Air Force Band. He was stationed at Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii where he was a member of the 501st Air Force Band. He was also stationed at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.

Ron attended North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

He was a professional musician and worked as an instrument repair technician for many years in south Kansas City, first at the Musique Music Store and then at Meyer Music. He also taught private music lessons for over 40 years and helped many students go to district and state competitions.

Ron was a long-time member of Lee’s Summit United Methodist Church (Lee’s Summit, Missouri) where he played in the Sunday morning orchestra. For the past few years he was a member of Deer Park Grace United Methodist Church, St. Joseph.

Ron was preceded in death by his father, Paul Gene Cook; his mother, Pauline Simpson Thornton; brothers, Teddy Cook and James Cook; half-sister, Julie Cook Adams; half-brother, Gene Cook; and stepbrothers, Michael Cooksey and Timothy Cooksey.

Ron is survived by his daughter, Rhonda Cook, of St. Joseph; his son, Scott Cook, of Auburn, Georgia; and former wife, Nancy “Pat” Cook, of Maryville Missouri. He is also survived by his half-brother, Dennis Cook (Jan), of Antioch, Tennessee; his stepsisters, Gala Bonner, of Cordova, Tennessee, and Kimberly Wiggins (Terry), of Bartlett, Tennessee; and his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Cook of Ft. Dodge, Iowa. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and many cousins.

He is being cremated under the care of Heaton-Bowman-Smith.

A private service will be held at a later time. His final resting place will be Dexter Cemetery, Dexter, Missouri. As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.