OBITUARY: Lt. Col. Bertram E. Cook, Jr.

Lt. Col. Bertram E. Cook, Jr. USMC (Ret), age 92 of Franklin, Tenn., and formerly of Melbourne, Fla., passed away on Dec. 11, 2016.

He was a retired veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps serving in three wars: WWII and Korea where he flew fighter planes, and later in Vietnam. He was commander of the First Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion which was the first Marine battalion to go into Vietnam and he was also commander of the Wing there in DaNang. Upon retirement from the Marine Corps he moved his family to Melbourne, Fla., employed as a program manager at Harris, Inc. (formerly Radiation, Inc.) where he directed the massive secret government program code named Igloo White.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bertram E. Cook Sr. and Mary Jones Cook; brother, Carroll Cook. He leaves behind his loving wife of 72 years, Shirley Ann “Shan” Cook; children, Debra Cook, Marsha (Walt) Miller and Robert Cook; grandchildren, Lori (Nathan) Bailie, Jason Hungerbuhler, Kristi (Jonathan) Smith and Sherri (Jason) Brumm; 13 great grandchildren.

A memorial service with full military honors will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, 3009 Columbia Ave., Franklin. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. on Sunday. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.

WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES 615-794- 2289 www.williamsonmemorial.com