Elbert Ronald Cooke, Jr.

On January 11, 2026, Elbert Ronald Cooke, Jr., born August 31, 1941, was called peacefully to glory from the loving home of his daughter and son-in-law, where he thanked God that he lived every day.

He was the son of loving and faith-filled parents Elbert Ronald Cooke, Sr., and Anna (Fritsch) Cooke, whom he is now embracing in heaven.

He lived at 714 E. 37th Street of Baltimore, MD from 1941 until 1953, when his family moved to 3006 Oakcrest Avenue, Baltimore, MD, where he lived from 1953 until 2022, at which time he moved into the home of his devoted daughter and son-in-law, in Joppa, MD, where he was surrounded with life, love and laughter as well as dozens of family members and friends regularly.

He is survived by his youngest brother, Thomas Gary Cooke; eldest son, Elbert Ronald Cooke, III, of Greensboro, North Carolina and his wife Karen (Staley) Cooke; his beloved daughter, Stephanie (Cooke) Woods; his committed son-in-law, James Woods, Jr.; his son, Stewart Brian Cooke; six dear grandchildren and their spouses as well as two delightful great-granddaughters, whom he adored; not to mention countless extended family members and friends, young and old, who called him either "Cookie" or "Gramps" depending on their generation.

He was a proud graduate of Baltimore's Polytechnic Institute "Poly" which taught him the skills he needed to get his job at McCormick's Spice Company where he worked as a gifted mechanic at various levels from 1962 until his retirement in 2007. He was an active communicant member of Calvary Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, of Baltimore from 1962 until 1997. He was married and confirmed there, had all his children baptized, confirmed and educated there, and fulfilled many positions of service and fellowship there.

In 1997, his communicant membership was transferred to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, of Kingsville, MD, where his daughter's family were active members and heavily involved there in church and school. It is from St. Paul's that he will be buried, having received his last communion from the pastor there just days ago.

He was a gifted mechanic and craftsman of many disciplines, whose priorities were always the Holy Trinity, his family and his friends. He was friendly, fair, firm and forward‐thinking in all he did, and he will be irreplaceably missed by all who knew him.

His favorite hymns were "Crown Him with Many Crowns" and "I Am but a Stranger Here, Heaven is My Home".

His favorite Bible passages were those from which those hymns were drawn...

Phi 2:9 - God has highly exalted [Jesus Christ] and given Him the name which is above every name.

and...

Phi 3:20 ‐ Our home is in heaven, which is why we so eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the end he was in his right mind, heart and spirit. He would speak, from memory, the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed with anyone who came to his bedside for a quiet moment. His last words were "I love you", which he said to his devoted daughter, as she tended to his care - just hours before the Lord called him home to glory.

Visiting at the E.F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A., 11750 Belair Road (Kingsville) on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 3-5 and 7-9 pm. Funeral services will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 12022 Jerusalem Road (Kingsville), on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 10 am. Interment Moreland Memorial Park Cemetery.