William Gene “Bill” Cook, 76, of Union City passed away Monday, May 26, 2025 at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital.
A funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation, 1276 Tate Trail, Union City, MI with Pastor Dan Maurer from Union City Wesleyan Church officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Union City with military honors.
Visitation will be held Monday, June 2, 2025 at Lighthouse in Union City from 3:00-7:00 p.m.
Bill was born November 21, 1948 to Raymond Earl and Hazel May (Stuck) Cook, Sr., in Monroe, Michigan. He attended Union City High School and graduated with the Class of 1968.
After high school, Bill earned an Associate Degree in Business from Victor Valley College. In September 1968, Bill joined the United States Air Force in California and served until March 1990. After his military career ended, Bill worked as a Production Scheduler in the automotive industry.
November 1, 1986 Bill married Dell Rose Dhabolt in Las Vegas, NV. Bill and Dell moved to Michigan in 1990.
Bill enjoyed working on and racing cars in California, bird watching, recruiting family members for the USAF, demolition derbies with his brother Bob, playing air guitar, and tinkering in his garage. Bill was goofy, feisty and a world traveler, visiting Hawaii, Ireland, Vermont, Mt. Rushmore, and Yellowstone National Park. He loved his grandkids and great-grandkids and made great memories playing the tickle torture game with them.
Bill is survived by his wife of 38 years, Dell; his children, Pamela Lynn (Mike) Cash of Union City, Kari Lynn Rosenberry of Union City, Shelly Ann Cook of Union City, and SMSgt Cynthia Sue Bernhardt (USAF) of Carthage, NC, his grandchildren, Kimberly Marks, Jessica Carpenter, Robert Cash, Leah Corey, Rilee Rosenberry, Jasmine Cook, Blake Melton, Bryce Cook, Jace Bernhardt, Christianna Davis, and Kayla Heckman; his great-grandchildren, James H. Heckman, Zoey E. Heckman, Casidhe A.S. Heckman, Connor A.S. Heckman, Adelynn M. Carpenter, Alexander S. Heckman, Emmett J. Miller, Eric James “E.J.” Heckman, Elowen Miller, and Grace Carpenter; his stepfather, Virgil Bowerman of Union City; his siblings, Linda (Jeff) Carter of Battle Creek, Raymond E. (MaryAnn) Cook, Jr. of Quincy, Deborah Camp of Fort Wayne, IN, David A. Cook of Sherwood, Jerry L. (Amy) Cook of Champagne, IL, Robert (Sherry) Cook of Union City, and Sheryl L. Harrington of Orland, IN; his stepsiblings, William (Lisa) Bowerman of Quincy, and Sally Davis of Union City; his many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond E. Cook, Sr. and Hazel Bowerman; his son, Rickie Shires, Jr., his sister, Judy K. Cook; his brothers-in-law Carnie Cook and Steve Harrington; and several nieces.
Memorial donations can be made to American Legion Post #196, P.O. Box 94, Union City, MI 49094 or Breakthrough T1D (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Research), P.O. Box 5021 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5021 or online at https://www2.breakthrought1d.org/site/Donation2?2374.donation=form1&df_id=2374&mfc_pref=T
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