Happy Father’s Day to my super awesome Dad,
Thank you for being an amazing and loving father and a man who loved Mom above and beyond everything else in this world.  The adorning looks you often gave to Mom is something I will never forget.  You dedicated your life to your marriage, your children, your strong faith in God and our Lord Jesus, and you demonstrated so much love and compassion for so many others throughout your life. You were always patient, kind and humble. You always found the best in others and made it a priority to pray regularly for those with physical, spiritual or life needs. You were such a devout and faithful Christian man and father and always put others before yourself. 
I am so thankful for all that you shared with me in my life. Your love of family, enjoyment of friends, your faith in God, your love for the piano and especially your love for sports. We shared a love for ‘our’ Mets, Giants and Knicks.  I will never forget your favorite sports line “Yes, and it counts”.  I will always cherish the Sport Illustrated articles you sent to us with your hand-written notes. You also taught me independence and a strong work ethic – not just through your words but through your actions and example. I followed in your footsteps working in NYC and will always cherish our father-daughter chats driving to the train station.  You let me spread my wings and find my way as a young professional woman.  You were always so proud of me and seemed to tell that to everyone you met.  What I miss about you the most is you calling me your MFD – Most Favorite Daughter – even though I was your one and only. You told me all the time that if you had a hundred daughters’ I would always be your favorite. We had such a special father-daughter bond and I am forever blessed that you were my Dad!
I am also thankful for your love for Rob and Robert. You loved my two guys so much.  You were such a fun Papa to Robert and you always made him feel special and loved.  I know how much you enjoyed talking to Robert about sports and how proud you were of him in so many ways.   
I will always remember how tight you held my hand during your last few weeks and saying “Hi Sweetheart” every time I entered the room.  I hope Heaven is everything you imagined and more.       
I am so thankful for the tremendous love and affection you gave to me. I miss you so very much. 
Your MFD forever,
Sharon

Happy First Birthday in Heaven! I am grateful and truly blessed to have spent 63 years together with you. I have so many wonderful memories of the life we shared with each other, of our children and grandson, our many trips around the world, and living at the lake in retirement for 27 years. Thank you for being the love of my life and treating me with daily kindness and thoughtfulness. Your faith in the Lord was so strong and you lived your life according to the Scriptures. You were a fine example of a true Christian man. I miss you so much everyday and look forward to the day we meet again. With my everlasting love, Maureen

It's been a year since my father's passing and of course I miss him. I was just at the Lake House last week visiting my mom with Christina and Adrieanna. I will always remember him sitting on his TV chair or having his breakfast at the counter. And I will always remember his quirky anecdotes and long long stories. Lol. I am grateful for the father in my life who influenced me in so many good ways, who always loved and forgave me, and who taught me what it means to truly love others. Thank you Dad.

   Whenever I talked about my father to someone for the first time, I would always say that he walked in the shoes of Jesus. And what I meant by that was that he consistently expressed all of Christ's character qualities throughout his life. It was evidenced in his marriage to my beautiful mother, in his fatherhood of me and my siblings, and in his kindness and compassion to all those he encountered. His love transcended the pains and frustrations that so often complicate human relationships. He was slow to anger and quick to forgive. He always extended a kind word or gesture, even to those of us who needed more of God's work in our lives. Rarely do I remember him ever criticizing someone, and I can't honestly recall him ever talking bad about others. Rather, he had an amazing ability to highlight someone's assets no matter how many personal struggles they dealt with. He purposely seized on any hope and encouragement he could give others. This trait of his was something I witnessed repeatedly in my life both personally and through others I introduced my father to.
   For those of you who have seen "It's a Wonderful Life", you could say my father was George Bailey. He married his first and only sweetheart and raised four children while working diligently to support his family. He consistently sacrificed himself to elevate the lives of those around him. And he never gave in to the lures and temptations of material success, popularity, status, and recognition. His primary concern was always for the lives of those around him.
   My father was one of those people who would strike up conversations with strangers wherever he was. It wasn’t unusual to lose my father in a store and then find him sitting on a bench or down some random aisle talking to someone. Then when approached he would introduce the person by name. Often when we got in the car, I would ask him how he knew that person and he would say that he just met them. Even more amazing was all the details he would know about their lives in the short time that he sat with them. I remember a story he told me once about needing change for a vending machine. He asked a stranger nearby for change of a dollar or two. My father struck up a personal conversation with the man before heading off to use the vending machine. After his purchase, he had two quarters left over. He went back to the man and explained that he would hold onto the two quarters and place them near his Bible when he got home so that he would remember to say a prayer for the man’s son as well as my brother David. Apparently, my father had learned that both of their sons were experiencing similar hardships and struggles. These kinds of stories were commonplace in my father’s life. Just ask my mom, lol. 
   Another interesting characteristic of my father’s life was that people all over the place knew him. And I’m not talking about neighbors or people from the church or friends of family. One day I went into the post office to send off a package. The postal worker asked me how my dad was doing after he saw the name Cook on the address label. Similar things happened at the local garden center and the marinas nearby. These were all people my Dad took the time to inquire and to learn about. He often knew the names their children, their health issues, personal accomplishments, and the history of where they grew up and had lived.
   I am so grateful for having been part of his life, for having been raised, taught, disciplined, encouraged, and loved by him. My time with him is filled with life lessons, adventures, funny stories, and interesting conversations. He shared the love of Christ with all those around him and enlightened our lives with words of kindness, wisdom, compassion, and hope. I love you Dad. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” Matthew 25:23.