On the morning of October 8, 2016 Paul Gene Cooke returned to his heavenly home after a valiant battle with Lewy Body Disease. His strong faith in God directed his life and sustained him through this struggle. Paul was born September 23, 1939 in Louisville, KY. He was raised by his devoted mother and beloved step-father, Edna C. Cooke and Arthur L. Cooke. He was baptized into Christ at 19 years of age in Elizabethtown, KY. Paul served his country in the United States Marine Corps. He received advanced degrees in education from Tennessee Technological University and in Bible from Alabama Christian School of Religion. Paul was a school teacher and spent the last 20 years of his career as the principal of Swiss Memorial Elementary School in Gruetli-Laager, TN. His life passion was studying God’s word and sharing the Good News with others. He served as an evangelist in Georgia, Alabama, New Jersey, and Tennessee. Visitation and funeral are scheduled at Layne Funeral Home, 32871 State Route 108, Palmer, TN 37365. Visitation will be 4-9 pm CST on October 9, 2016. Funeral services will be at 10 am CST on October 10, 2016. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made in Paul’s memory to either: Linderman’s Mission to Tanzania at Landmark Church of Christ, 1800 Halcyon Blvd, Montgomery, AL 36117, Phone: 334-277-5800 or Does God Exist? PO Box 2704, South Bend, IN 46680-2704, Phone 574-514-1400
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Meeks Cooke; daughters, Sandy (Karl) McLarty, Searcy, AR, Tammy (Chuck) Bowlin, Greenville, TN, Angela (Cary) Daniel, Colliersville, TN and Annette (Troy) Bishop, Hendersonville, TN; sons, Steve (Jill) Cooke, Oak Ridge, TN and Tim (Kristi) Cooke, Chattanooga, TN; brothers, Jerry (Stella) Cooke, Radcliff, KY and Jimmy (Linda) Cooke, Washington, DC; sisters, Sherry Gayle (Owen) Collins, Jackson, TN and Janet Lynn (Larry) White, Rockwall, TX; and his 21 grandchildren, Kaleb, Joshua, Paul D, Lydia, Grace, Paul, Faith, John Paul, Amy, Karen, Charity, Sarah, Charlie, Kacey, David, Jonathan, Victoria, Nicole, Nikolas, Jake, and Ella.
