John Richard Cook

John R. Cook, 90 years old, of Glen Eddy, Schenectady NY, went to be with the Lord on April 21, 2026. He was born on August 10, 1935, in Amsterdam to Arthur and Mabel (Morley) Cook. Mr. Cook graduated in 1954 from the former Wilbur H. Lynch High School in Amsterdam NY. He worked at Mohawk Carpet Mills (Mohasco Corp) as a printing press operator and in 1957 he joined the Air National Guard 109th Airlift Group and did his basic training at Lackland Texas. He then attended jet engine school in Illinois graduating in 1958. John became a full-time air technician in 1960. In 1962 he attended flight engineer school in Minneapolis. John was the flight engineer and then crew chief for the C97 plane and later for the C130. He loved to fly and his work took him to all seven continents with stops all over the world including Vietnam, Antarctica, Greenland and islands in the Pacific. He retired in 1995 with over 38 years of service.

He had a beautiful singing voice and as a boy and young man he sang in St. Ann’s choir and then in the Mohawk Valley Chorus for many years.

John married Carole Mae Wood in 1959, and they enjoyed 52 years together until her death in 2012. He is predeceased by his sisters Louie (Edward) Levandosky, Muriel (William) Papura, and brothers David Cook and Ralph Cook.

He is survived by his sisters-in-law Elizabeth (David) Cook and Margaret (Ralph) Cook. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews and good friend Judy Cronk. A special thank you to his nephew David Papura, niece Carol Phillis and special friend Judy Cronk for all their help.

A public visitation will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, New York 12010 from 10:00am to 11:30am with a funeral service to begin at 11:30am. Burial will follow the service at Chuctanunda Cemetery, Minaville, New York.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in John's name to the Animal Protection Agency, 53 Maple Avenue, Schenectady, NY 12302.