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.
Lifestyles
Related Photos
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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
- Lifestyles
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- 2013 Partners for Pearl River County By Jodi Marze The 10th class of Partners for Pearl River County celebrated its graduation at First Baptist Church on Friday, May 10, in the Fellowship Hall. The graduating class included: Jason Bounds, Nacole Dillon, Christy Goss, John Huck, Jeff McClain, Teenia Perry, Paul Reese, Brooke Rester, Eric Stafne, Richelle Stafne, Kristin Thibodeaux, Pat Tidmore, and Jim Walker. The staff is comprised of: Jo Woods, Tricia Knight, Shirley Wiltshire, Marilyn Bailey, Rod Lincoln and Scott Langlois (Program Chairman).
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Tami Harris takes state
Local business owner and community volunteer Tami Harris has won the coveted title of 2012 Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs-Mississippi Federation of Women's Clubs (MFWC) Club Woman of the Year for the state of Mississippi. A member of the Civic Woman’s Club of Picayune, Harris is one of only three club members, along with Darlene Adams and Leslie Lincoln, to take the state title.
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Arboretum Paths
Last week, students participating in the 2013 Mississippi Master Naturalist Program visited the Crosby Arboretum for an all-day training. The session was part of 40 hours of field and classroom instruction they will receive, educating them about natural resource management and environmental stewardship, and is a part of their preparation to become Certified Mississippi Master Naturalists.
- Chamber Ribbon Cutting Children's International Medical Group held a grand opening and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at their first Mississippi location, located in Picayune.
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Historic City Hall Dedication Friday
Friday, May 3 at 10 a.m. the New City Hall will be dedicated on Goodyear Boulevard. This event will coincide with the 75th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Old Historic City Hall building.
- PRC Community Band presents: An American Legacy The Pearl River County Community Band, under the direction of Johnny Baker, will present “An American Legacy: An afternoon of American music for concert bands,” on Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. at the Picayune Memorial High School Auditorium.
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Arboretum Paths
On their recent tour, fifth grade students from Lamar Christian School in Purvis encountered a seemingly endless variety of wildlife, ranging from crawfish to inchworms, to writhing masses of spiny, newly-emerged caterpillars. There is no such thing as a “typical” walk around the Arboretum’s Pond Journey and Pitcher Plant Bog. Every venture reveals something new to every group of visitors.
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Beebe returns to Main Street
“I was excited when the Picayune Main Street, Inc. Board of Directors asked me to return as manager to the local Main Street program. Also, extremely grateful to Picayune City Manager Jim Luke, Mayor Ed Pinero and city council for their blessings and approval to relocate our office,” says Beebe. “One of my favorite sayings is ‘There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.’ I have to say, I had a blast working on committees, projects and events with the most dedicated staff and group of volunteers in Pearl River County from March 2005 to May 2010. I look forward to getting new committees in place and working with ‘seasoned’ volunteers as well as new volunteers who share the same passion and desire to keep Picayune moving forward.”
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15th Annual Rotary Fishing Rodeo held in McNeill
“We are all fortunate to play a small part in the joy we see in their faces when they get a bite on their line and see the fish they catch. My wife, Sharon, and I hosted it last year on our anniversary and we would not have had it any other way. It was a perfect day.”
— Rotarian Tony Paternostro -
Picayune Main Street relocates to Intermodal
Picayune Main Street, Inc. has relocated to the Intermodal Transportation and Tourism Center at 200 Hwy 11 South. With the change in location the organization is also shifting focus back to the four points of the Main Street Approach according to President Bill Edwards.
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