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William McLellan "Bill" Cook
June 5, 1948-August 8, 2020
William Cook obit pic
Billy Mac was born on June 5, 1948, in Berkeley, CA to parents William and Mary Cook.  He joined his older sister Christina, and was followed by the rest of the Cook siblings, Mary Frances, Thomas, Tracy, Marcella, Julie and Caroline.
   The family moved to San Jose in 1957.  Bill graduated in 1966 from Campbell High School, and then attended community college until he enlisted in the Marines in 1968.  He served his country for two years during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1970.  He would return to Vietnam 37 years later to visit the country that had such an impact on his life.
   Bill married twice, and welcomed his only child, a son, William Garde Cook (Zak) in 1976.  Zak blessed him with three  grandchildren, Caileen, Rowan and Eddie.  They were a very bright light in his life and he cherished the time he spent with them, as evidenced by the many hand-drawn cards, photos and other mementos this tough soldier kept in his home.  
   Bill had wanderlust and loved traveling on the open road in his Volkswagen Van. The deserts in Southern California were a destination he would visit many times.  He managed to get to Ireland, however, to see the country and learn about his Irish roots.
   He graduated from University of the Pacific with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After his retirement from his career as an expert engineer and machinist at Lawrence Livermore Lab, he took up a new ‘occupation’, tutoring high school students through Give Every Child a Chance.  He was well liked and was proud to be able to do something he loved.
   Services will be private.  Bill’s ashes will be interred at Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose, California.
 
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

Saturday, October 31, 2020