Jack Wallace Cook
(July 21, 1926 - November 24, 2021)

Jack Wallace Cook, 95 of Huntington, died November 24, 2021 at his home. He was born July 27, 1926 in Huntington, WV; a son of the late Phil and Willie Marie Davis Cook. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis Cook; a son Jack W. “Chip” Cook and a brother, Philip Cook. Jack attended Huntington schools, graduating from Huntington High School in 1944. He began his first year of college but was interrupted by World War II where he served in the South Pacific. After his release from duty he returned to school, this time being interrupted by the Korean Conflict. He graduated from Marshall University in 1952 with a degree in education. He went on to receive his Master’s Degree in 1953 plus an additional 30 graduate hours. While attending Marshall, Jack was a member of the baseball team, being Captain his senior year. Jack began his teaching career in Cabell County Elementary Schools. He moved to Cammack Jr. High School as a Physical Education Teacher and as football and basketball coach in 1957 where his teams won numerous County Championships. While Jack was teaching and coaching at Cammack he was also the Coach of Huntington High School’s baseball team where his teams won three state championships in 1961, 1964 and 1966. Thus the “Coach” was born. Coach Cook moved to Marshall University in 1966 and began his teaching and coaching career. His first year he took the Herd from last place to third place in the Mid American Conference. Upon leaving the MAC at Marshall he continued as an independent, receiving an at large bid to the NCAA tournament in Carbondale, IL in 1973. Coach Cook’s teams continued success in the Southern Conference where they won the conference in 1978. They went to the NCAA tournament and beat both Clemson and Florida State, coming within one game of the college World Series before losing to Miami of Florida. In 1978 Coach Cook was named the Huntington Elks Coach of the Year, Southern Conference Coach of the Year and the Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. Coach Cook is a member of the Huntington High School Hall of Fame, the Huntington High School Sports Hall of Fame, the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame which he and his son, Chip were the first father-son to be inducted, WV Sports Legends Hall of Fame, and placed on the Greater Huntington Wall of fame in 2017. In 1989 Coach Cook retired after 23 years as Head Coach of the Marshall University baseball team and became the winningest Coach of any single sport in Marshall University history. Coach Cook is survived by two daughters, Marsha Woods and Kimberly M. Cook with whom he made his home, both of Huntington; 3 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 30th. at New Baptist Church of Huntington where he was a member. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. by Pastor Trent Eastman and Rev. Carl Hewlett at the church Wednesday, December 1, 2021. Entombment will follow in Woodmere Memorial Park’s Garden Building. Klingel-Carpenter Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.