Pfc. Nicholas Scott Cook
Pfc. Nicholas Scott Cook, U.S. Army, died in Dab Sar, Konar Province, Afghanistan.
Nick joined the Army in April of 2009, completing his Basic Training and Jump School in Fort Benning, Ga. He was a proud member of "The Rock" 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry, Task Force Mountain Warrior, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Fort Ederly, Vicenza, Italy.
You have left us way too soon but you are soaring above as only you could.
Nick was born in Fresno, Calif., on Oct. 5, 1990 the son of Jeffery and Charlotte Cook. He joined his brother Christopher and sister Melody.
He was raised in Hungry Horse by his grandparents Chuck and Kathy Taylor, attended Canyon Elementary, Columbia Falls Junior High and graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 2008.
Nick was an athlete from a very early age: he played T-ball & baseball. He started wrestling at age six with Columbia Falls Little Guy Wrestling, continuing until he was too old for Little Guy Wrestling. He played one year of flag football with Kalispell Parks and Recreation, then he went on to Little Guy Football, playing until junior high. He played for Columbia Falls Jr. High. He also played for Columbia Falls High School until he sustained an injury.
Nick loved the snow and had no desire to live where he could not snowboard. He lived and breathed snowboarding, and even took trips to Austria and the Alps to be able to 'shred" while he was stationed in Italy.
As a child he enjoyed playing with and showing his goats at the Flathead County fair. He won several times in the pack goats division and also the harness goats competition. This was something that he enjoyed doing with his grandfather.
Nick was a typical boy growing up: he got himself into his fair share of trouble and he got himself out of trouble.
He had a passion for shoes and he could talk his grandmother into paying twice the amount for a pair than she had intended. He was an expert at wrapping his grandma around his finger. The biggest thing he finagled out of her was her car.
He had too many friends to name them all but once a person was Nick's friend, that person was his friend for life. Nick had known many of his friends since preschool.
Nick was preceded in death by great-grandparents Howard and Bessie Hatfield, formerly of Whitefish; Charles E.L. Taylor of Fresno, Calif.; John "Mike" Douhan of Fresno, Calif.
He is survived by his grandparents Chuck and Kathy Taylor of Hungry Horse; his mother Charlotte Martin and stepfather Robert Martin of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; his father Jeffery Cook of Fresno, Calif.; uncle and aunt Chuck and Beth Taylor of Minot, N.D.; aunt and uncle Nancy and Joe Davis of Marion; brother Christopher Taylor of Hungry Horse; sister Melody Cook-Sotelo of Fresno, Calif.; sister Jacklynn Sisney of Squaw Valley, Calif.; great-grandmother Jane Louden of Clovis, Calif.; niece Harmony Sotelo and nephew Caden Scott Sotelo of Fresno, Calif.; cousins Sandra and Therese Wallace; Samantha, JT and Amanda Davis; and many more aunts, uncles and cousins.
He will be also missed by pets Cisco and Charley.
Nick, we love you and will see you in heaven, our sweet young man.
A visitation will be held Friday, March 19, 2010 from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 1 p.m. at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls.
Burial with full military honors will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls.