PICAYUNE —
Dwyer Cooke is this week’s Picayune Item Super Senior.
Cooke is a 77-year-old veteran who served his country during the Post-Korea War, from 1953 to 1957,as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard.He currently serves fellow veterans and community members in need through the American Legion Post 73, of which he has been a member since 1985. He has served as Post treasurer for two years. He does all of this, in addition to raising grandchildren and children, with his wife Susanne.
Cooke followed in the footsteps of his father and cousins, by joining the military when he was 18-years-old.
“To be honest, I had heard that my age group was next to be drafted and I just decided to go ahead and join,” he says.
Stationed out of Honolulu, Hawaii for sea duty and out of Marblehead, Ohio for shore duty. Cooke met his wife, of now 57 years, while serving shore duty.
He began working offshore after serving his enlistment term. The couple had five children while living in New Orleans East, in La.
“We moved to Picayune in 1978. New Orleans East was no place to bring up children anymore and Picayune was within an hour of the New Orleans airport, as was required for my employment. It was easy travel and we had a quiet place to finish raising our children,” said Cooke, who now has 13 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Through Legion fundraising events, such as Turkey Shoots, Cooke participates in contributions to Special Olympics, NJROTC, Wounded Warriors and scholarships to local high school seniors.
“We prefer to help veterans and their families in need but we extend help beyond that. We help the needy in the community, period. We are currently working on 150 baskets of food which will be distributed to needy families for Christmas,” said Cooke.
Legion Manager Keith Frierson, says, “He’s been my next door neighbor for 22 years and you won’t find a better person. He is a fine man. He has been an asset as the finance officer on our board here at the Legion.”
Even while caring for others in the community, family is the number one priority for Cooke. He and his wife just received custody of three great-granddaughters under the age of 10-years-old. His wife is employed in the Picayune School System and he has the responsibility for getting the three to their schools and picking them up each afternoon.
“I will talk about taking the girls to school and joke about making the ‘bus run.’ People think I drive a school bus for a living,” he says. “My motto is ‘Get ‘er done’ and that applies to everything I do and every situation. This isn’t our first time to raise grandchildren or great-grandchildren. We take care of our family. Family isn’t about always agreeing. It is about caring about each other and always ending a conversation with ‘I love you.’”
Cooke’s daughter, Kris Davis says, “He is the best dad, he is easy to talk to. I am proud of him for the work he does through the American Legion and in the community.”
“Mr. Cooke is a great veteran, father and grandfather. He cares for both veterans and their families. He has been an active officer on our board,” says Legion Judge Advocate Claiborne “Buddy” McDonald.
Features
Related Photos
-
Dwyer Cooke is this week’s Picayune Item Super Senior for his dedication and service to his country, family and fellow community members in need. Item photo by Jodi Marze
Super Senior
Dwyer Cooke: Veteran and family man who serves his community
- Features
-
-
southern gardening
Every spring the home gardener is bombarded with new and improved petunias for the garden and landscape, making it hard to decide which to bring home from the garden center. In my opinion, you simply can’t go wrong selecting any of the Supertunias.
-
arboretum paths
Spring is now in full swing at the Crosby Arboretum, and the show is well on its way toward a crescendo. The blooms of native purple Iris can be seen along the edge of the Piney Woods pond, pink “honeysuckle” azalea is flowering near the Pinecote Pavilion, and the yellow blooms of the pitcher plants — called “buttercups” by local residents — are beginning to carpet the south Savanna Exhibit.
-
USM set to host Children’s Book Festival
One of the most anticipated events celebrating children’s literature, the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at The University of Southern Mississippi, will be held April 10-12 at the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.
-
Amber Bounds breaks six-year-old state swimming record
The Southern MS Aquatic Club (Mantarays) participated in the Santa’s Best Swim Invitational in Biloxi Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The Mantarays finished 6th out of 22 teams competing from LA, AL, FL, and MS.
-
Capitol Pages
Jonathan Fail of Picayune, and Lorrie Warren of Poplarville recently served as pages for the Mississippi Senate.
-
Yellow jasmine brightens yards
According to the calendar, we are just a few days away from the official start of the spring season. But if you have been watching the garden and landscape like I have, you’ve seen signs of spring for at least several weeks. The plants are starting to wake up.
-
Native blooms abound at the Arboretum’s spring plant sale
The long-awaited weekend is upon us – that time which comes but once a year. Yes, it’s the Crosby Arboretum’s spring native plant sale.
-
Welcome Center celebrates arts and literature in March
The Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism will be celebrating “Arts and Literature” during the month of March. Each of the Welcome Centers will be decorated differently for this celebration.
-
Lamont Rowlands house important to historical heritage
Pat Crosby first moved to the Lamont Rowlands house in 1992.
Although she found the home in disrepair, she couldn’t imagine not living there and knew that was her new home.
“It just spoke to me, and it still does,” said Crosby, the wife of the late Tommy Crosby, son of R.H. Crosby. Tommy Crosby completely renovated the home and grounds. -
Pearl River County Arts League Art Show and Sale
Pearl River County Arts League Art Show and Sale will be held on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 24, from noon till 4 p.m. at The Knights of Columbus Hall, 408 Carroll Drive. The show is open to all artists and admission is free to the public.
- More Features Headlines
-
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
