January 22, 2020. I was leaving work and I was prompted to call my friend Willie. His sister answered his phone which was strange and then handed him the phone. He told me he was in the U of U hospital. It was perfect timing because I was able to drive straight there to visit him. When I arrived he was not doing well. Normally his heart would have issues with retaining water, but now it was happening to his whole body. I was able to visit with him and his family for a few hours before going home. The next day they had planned to have an "unbirthday party" for him at noon. I was planning that night to get on a plane to go get Lucy from Oklahoma City, so was trying to get all my work done. I wasn't sure I would be able to make it to the party and planned to go later in the afternoon. Something told me, no, you need to go to the party. Little did I know that would be the last time I would see him on this earth. He passed less than a couple of hours after his party. So grateful for tender mercies and the opportunity I had to say to goodbye to my friend of 20 years.
Willie and I met when I was 16 and he was 17. I was called as a special needs mutual counselor at that time and was a counselor to a woman named Cheryl. It was during that time Willie and I met. We would dance at the dances and I became one of his many "girlfriends". We stayed in touch over the years over the phone and seeing him on his birthday and Christmas and sometimes in between. I had the opportunity to be in the temple with him the day he took out his endowments. Upon entering the Celestial room, he proceeded, loudly to announce to everyone that I was his exgirlfriend. I was married at the time to someone Willie never approved of, and he was never afraid to tell me that either. As the years went on, we got older, but our friendship was unchanged. He has been a blessing in my life through all the ups and downs and I will cherish the day we can see each other again.
Willie planned his whole funeral and of course planned to be brought in by stagecoach which is no surprise because he was always a cowboy at heart!
The below photo was from his 30th birthday bash party.
After Willie passed his mom sent the below photo to me in the mail. It made my day! Can’t believe how young Willie Cook and I look!! The year on the back said 2003. So I would have been 19 I think.
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