Smyrna Police Lt. Curtis Cook
March 28, 1944 - August 30, 2006
September & October , 2006

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By Harold Smith, Editor

Curtis Cook joined the Smyrna Historical and Genealogical Society in February, 1993. He was a frequentvisitor to the original Smyrna Museum on King Street that opened April 25, 1992. He immediately became interested in checking into his home town's history. He was fascinated by some of the things he learned about his town as he looked through the old bound volumes of the Smyrna Herald newspaper, scrap books from various clubs and the other photos and documents which made up the museum collection at the time. But even before joining the Smyrna Historical Society, as a Smyrna Policeman, Curtis has been interested in the history of the old west and some of the law enforcement people of fact and fiction. This interest led him to joining a company of western re-enactors who toured the country recreating shows like Shootout at the OK Corral and others His favorite characters were Wyatt Earp and John Henry "Doc" Holliday. Curtis, like Earp, was a quick draw artist. Continued Curtis Cook. But back to the story of Curtis joining the Smyrna Historical Society. My wife, Betty, had been the research editor of the Visiting The Past column since Lives and Times was started back in the mid 1980's. Shortly after Curtis joined, he was interested in learning how the material for the column was gathered. Betty was eager to have some help with the time consuming research and invited Curtis to go to the Georgia Room at the main Cobb County library to see how the items for column were gleaned from the microfilm library of old newspapers. This was also about the time that Betty started having some health problems that eventually led to her death just a few months later.

Curtis Cook at the grand opening of the Smyrna Museum at 2861 Atlanta Road, April 25, 1999 as a tour guide.

Betty invited Curtis to go to the library with her to do the research and they shared the by-line for the May-June, 1993 issue. That was the last one Betty was ever able to do. She became seriously ill in the latter part of June and never recovered from the surgery that led to her death on September 20, 1993
Curtis researched and did the text for the July-August 1993 issue of Lives and Times and continued the column, with help sometimes from Susan Baugh, and Dianne Mills, until he had a major stroke at the age of 58. The stroke left him paralyzed on the left side and a speech impediment that extensive physical and speech therapy never healed.

Curtis was able to return to his home for a while but eventually he went into Nurse Care of Buckhead, an assisted living home, for three years. A short time before he died, he was a resident of Haven House Hospice in Sandy Springs where he died August 30, 2006.

He lived in Smyrna all his life. He graduated from public schools and his employment had been with the Smyrna Police Department for 35 years before he retired on disability after his stroke. His parents were Jessie and Ruby Hollifield Cook, who preceded him in death as did two of his brothers, Jimmy and Richard. Curtis is survived by one brother, Charles, who lives with his wife Patsy in Ellijay, two sisters-in-law, Dot Cook of Smyrna and Earline Cook of Austell. We extend our sympathy to the family.
Funeral services were held at the Castellaw Funeral Home Friday, September 1 and burial was at the Cheatham Hill Memorial Park.

Curtis was a good friend, a tireless worker, and his knowledge of local history and his personal contribution of photos, documents, and other memorabilia etc. to the Smyrna museum has added greatly to collection. He will be greatly missed

Curtis loved to write and tell stories. Here's one of the poems he composed:

The Poets Apple

While strolling thru the orchard
on a summer afternoon
communing with nature
our harmony in tune.
I spied a wondrous apple hanging from the tree
and I knew that I must have it
for it looked so good to me.
So I climbed upon the fence
and I plucked it from the limb.
And I marveled at its luster shining like a ruby gem.
My mouth began to water,
so inviting did it look.
And I was filled with such emotion
That my fingers fairly shook!.
So I bit into the flesh,
So juicy and so firm
And OH! It was DELECIOUS!!
'Till I spied that half 'a worm.

Thank you Lt. Cook and Rest In Peace