Mr. Clarence Cook, 90, of Tucker, died Friday, June 19, 2009. He was born in DeKalb County on May 25, 1919 to Jefferson Farris Cook and Ruby Hestley Cook. Clarence grew up in south Dekalb County, graduating from Southwest DeKalb High in 1937. He married Rue Black, a native of the Avondale/Decatur area April 5, 1942. Clarence was employed during WWII by Seaboard Airline Railroad in Birmingham, AL. The couple transferred back to Atlanta in 1944 and later Clarence owned a small appliance store in Hapeville Ga, and worked for a time with Eastern Airlines, Motorola, Sears Roebuck and became a employee of Dekalb County, heading the Personal Property Tax division for many years. He retired from DeKalb County in 1980, and enjoyed a second career as a Realtor until 2006. He was a devoted, loving husband, father, and grandfather. Clarence was active in church and Sunday School, teaching at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, White Oak Hills Baptist Church, Rainbow Park Baptist Church, and Columbia Drive Baptist Church. At his death he was a member of Avondale Estates First Baptist Church. After several years of devoted care for Rue, Clarence passed quietly at his home in Tucker, surrounded by the family he so loved. He was preceded in death by his brothers Robert Glenn Cook, Harold Cook, twin sister Clara Cook Phillips, and her husband, Austin Phillips, sister-in-law, Pat Cook, brother-in-laws, Willie Ray, Angus Hairston, Bennie Long and Ernest Conyers. Clarence is survived by his wife of 67 years, Rue Cook; daughters, Rebecca (Becky) Higgins, Snellville, Deborah and husband Boyce Gault, Dunwoody; son and daughter-in-law: J. Farris and Deborah Cook, Alpharetta; grandchildren, Tad Starnes, Joy and Colin Higgins, Jon Biren, Morgan and Madison Cook; siblings and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Della Ray Hairston, Canton, Sue Cook, Alpharetta, Harry Cook, LaGrange, Jeanne Cook Long, Winnabow, NC, Melrose Conyers, Auburn, GA and Dock Black, Jr., San Francisco, CA. He was a dedicated “Child of God”, a good and faithful son, husband, father, and grandfather; a devoted friend and neighbor. All who knew him loved him. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 22 in the chapel of A. S. Turner & Sons with Rev. Clay Bowden officiating. Interment will be in the churchyard cemetery at Hardeman Primitive Baptist, 3965 Glenwood Rd., Decatur. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Sunday at A. S. Turner & Sons.
