Richard Cook Memorial

This is the memorial fund for Richard Cook. My dad unexpectedly passed away on November 27th from cardiac arrest. He was 67 years old. He had just celebrated his 31st anniversary with his wife, Sharon, 6 days before his death. He was also a father to 4, a grandfather to 10, a great-grandfather to 3, a brother, and an uncle. He was loved and will be deeply missed by many. For 3 years prior to his passing, Dad suffered with several complex health issues including a brain tumor, severe memory loss, seizures, heart disease, and lung disease. These illnesses resulted in no less than a dozen stays in three local hospitals and 2 rehabilitation centers. To say that the last 3 years of his life were difficult on both himself and his family is an understatement. Throughout this time, there was one constant in my dad's life- his wife Sharon. Not a single day went by that she was not with him. When his health was critical she stayed by his side at the hospital, often surviving on short naps and vending machine food. During hospital stays where Dad was stable, Sharon would go to work at 5am, work until 2 or 3pm then go straight to the hospital or rehab center where she would stay until 8pm or later. She made sure that my dad was fed, clean, and comfortable every single day without fail. I will be eternally grateful to her for all of the sacrifices she made to be by my dad's side; honoring her vows; and providing him with the love, care, and comfort he needed. As you can probably imagine, the extended length and severity of my dad's illnesses brought forth tons of medical bills and lost wages. This is in addition to his final expenses including transporting his remains and his family from Alabama to Delaware for his upcoming burial and memorial service. My dad was also receiving monthly social security benefits of $940 which accounted for a large portion of my parent's income. This will be a huge financial hardship for Sharon. After seeing how well she loved and cared for my dad, especially in his last few years, I want to do what I can to ease these financial burdens for her. I know that my dad would want to be sure that his wife is taken care of. I have set up this fund to assist our family with... ~ My dad's final expenses. ~ Transportation for the family to travel to Delaware for the burial and memorial service. ~ Remaining medical bills belonging to my dad. ~ All excess funds will be used to help with Sharon's general living expenses as she transitions to life as a widow. If you are able to donate, we greatly appreciate all levels of support. Thank you all so much for your love and prayers!