Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

I think it probable that civilization somehow will last as long as I care to look ahead-perhaps with smaller numbers, but perhaps also bred to greatness and splendor by science. I think it is not improbable that man, like the grub that prepares a chamber for the winged thing it never has seen but is to be-that man may have cosmic destinies that he does not understand. And so beyond the vision of battling races and an impoverished earth I catch a dreaming glimpse of peace. Dade County I want to believe will always respect and remember its heroes and heroines of the law enforcement community who stood in there face to face with evil and with bravery, courage and a stoic face gave their lives so we the citizens can live as we choose to. No one knows their destiny, Officer Cook, you were this type of uniquely skilled and very well qualified officer who leaned on people for advice and utilized your voice to maintain a calmness during a calamity and on May 16, 1979, this came to full fruition, through your unselfishess to act and respond in a dignified manner to keep peace as best you could considering the dilemma you faced. You were professional, so consummate and compassionate and this won't ever be forgotten. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 5, 2014

Nature speaks in symbols and in signs and her pictures human fate divines. The harp at nature's advent strung has never ceased to play; the song the stars of morning sung has never died away. The only thing that is the most important in a person's life is how they comport themselves. You did this, Officer Cook, with honor and respect for the position, for the law enforcement profession of which you wore a badge and donned a uniform with only integrity and went out into Dade County streets to bring unity and peace together as one theme. Your service and protection helped rein in the ghastly wickedness that seems to undermine our society and what is good and bad about certain issues which police officers still have to deal with on a daily basis. Your heroic measures on May 16, 1979 have allowed citizens to function as they should and to pursue the good things in life. The same things you pursued as you were still in high school marching to the beats of your band with those drums in hand. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Your conversations were more than symbols, they were means of conveying an important message to all concerned. They represented, Godliness, faith, devotion and loyalty to all folks. This all has to start in a person's home and yours was akin to a humble and loving environment.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 5, 2014

Woodman, spare that tree! Touch not a single bough! In youth it sheltered me and I'll protect it now. Where you rest in peace now, my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, there is a large tree near your grave where the squirrels climb up the trees with the food they find. I'm pretty sure you spent some time in the woods hunting or maybe going on a survival camp out with your boy scout troop. In God's great wilderness lies the hope of the world-the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. Your righteousness has fortified our reasons to pursue that which is noble and everything you stood for in life, now takes on a much more deeper meaning because of your sacrifice on behalf of all Dade County residents of which you too were a proud and passionate citizen who led by example in speech and in deed. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 4, 2014

Come, wander with me into regions untrod; and read what is still unread in the manuscripts of God. Now you can wander and travel, Officer Cook, wherever God determines His need for you. You were His ever so faithful and loyal servant, who stood forth in your efforts to bridge the gaps of unity and make peace what it should legitimately be, a common theme for all. Your dependability was legendary, your commitment, unwavering, your compassion as soothing and as calming as your voice, softly representing the goodwill that exists in all mankind. One does not need any manuscript to see what you became, just travel to Washington, D.C. and Miami, Florida and you can personally witness heroism firsthand. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 3, 2014

I believe I meant to say in a previous reflection, that you took a risk, Officer Cook, to insure freedom and liberty for each citizen in Dade County. Beneath some patriarchal tree I lay upon the ground, God's big arms uplifted me, clapped their little hands in glee, with one continuous sound. Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. You are resting in peace my neighbor, friend and hero with Our Creator's big arms holding your treasured soul and looking down on your family, friends and colleagues guiding them down safe pathways. We can only imagine the life and career you led by example in humility and grace, that only a mother and father would be very proud of. The silence may be deafening, the cries of hope and gladness persevere, for we know you'll always be so dear. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 3, 2014

The marshes, how candid and simple, nothing withholding and free, you publish yourselves to the sky and offer yourselves to the sea. You carried yourself, Officer Cook, with an openness and candor for all to see, your dignity, courage and bravery was easy to see. You served and protected Dade County so well, the day Dade County bid you a fond farewell, it was at St. Mary's Cathedral one could look up and hear the bell. It was tolling to remind each and everyone of us the sacrifice you made for our honor and pride to pursue whatever we choose to aspire to. You dreamed, you put in long hours of very demanding work and the effort to match and that is why you're our hero, whose beloved soul can now take its proper place in heaven with our heroes and heroines of the past, who like you served with distinction befitting your position. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Candidness is one of many assets that police officers need to utilize wisely.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 3, 2014

The marshes, how candid and simple, nothing withholding and free, you publish yourselves to the sky and offer yourselves to the sea. You carried yourself, Officer Cook, with an openness and candor for all to see, your dignity, courage and bravery was easy to see. You served and protected Dade County so well, the day Dade County bid you a fond farewell, it was at St. Mary's Cathedral one could look up and hear the bell. It was tolling to remind each and everyone of us the sacrifice you made for our honor and pride to pursue whatever we choose to aspire to. You dreamed, you put in long hours of very demanding work and the effort to match and that is why you're our hero, whose beloved soul can now take its proper place in heaven with our heroes and heroines of the past, who like you served with distinction befitting your position. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 3, 2014

See thou not to field or stone the fancies found in books; leave authors' eyes and fetch your own, to brave the landscapes' looks. You trained and diligently went out bravely on your patrols, took insure freedom and liberty for each citizen in the Dade County community. And now because of your courage and excellence in performing what we consider a dangerous career, your name is inscribed on a marble wall in Miami, Florida and one of those many bricks marking heroic achievement and quality of character from many of Dade County's heroes and heroines in the law enforcement field, as well as a spot on the Police Memorial Wall in our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. forever to remember you by. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 2, 2014

He who knows what sweet and virtues are in the ground, the waters, the plants, the heavens and how to come at these enchantments, is the rich and royal man. That you were, Officer Cook, humble, proud and dignified from your birth until your untimely passing from this world. Your sweet demeanor, your honest virtues, took you to the call of duty where you excelled richly. How could anyone mistake a righteous and an honorable man, a gentleman who would go out of his way to help people and save innocent lives? The earth contains what once was a vibrant and a cherished member of the police fraternity, a man among men, fighting for a noble cause. You pursued happiness and one day that got swallowed up in a heartbeat. We don't know why, one day maybe God will provide us with a clue from His eternal treasure chest. The heavens above now have both your beloved father, Charles, and yourself and your beloved souls for safekeeping. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 1, 2014

Nature never wears a mean appearance. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. Nature is an endless combination and repetition of a very few laws. She hums the old well-known air through innumerable variations. All people from all walks of life act differently and that is too be expected as no two people are alike. Police officers are people too with rights and freedoms, they are public servants who are supposed to serve and protect, defend our liberties and see to it that we can live in unity. You did a marvelous job of this, Officer Cook, if not for that fateful day when a young man troubled by whatever was bothering him displayed a nasty demeanor and was looking to harm or even worse take the lives of men and women courageous enough to make sure nothing bad would befall them. Basically, we have just some logical things that we must obey, we are not asking anyone to perform the impossible. If he just listened to you and your comrades, we can't say for sure, maybe the outcome would have been different and you might have been enjoying retirement now. Make no mistake you acted as you were trained and heroically saved those seven lives and sacrificed yours on our behalf. I can't say anything not already said. You bravely and as calmly as you could tried to diffuse a dilemma that could have been worse. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. The kids laugh and play in my area in large part because of your unwavering call to duty and tireless devotion and practical passion with a whole lot of compassion trying to sooth another man's anger down.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 1, 2014

That sort of beauty which is called natural, as of vines, plants, trees, etc., consists of a very complicated harmony; and all the natural motions and tendencies and figures of bodies in the universe are done according to proportion and therein is the beauty. That was the reason you enjoyed being outdoors, Officer Cook, whether alone in your private and taciturn moments or being with your wife, Karen or other family members. taking pictures, hunting, whatever you did to unwind, you did it your way, relaxed and got away from the everyday moments of your law enforcement schedule. Police work can be an adventure, can contain adversity, anything and everything performed under sometimes horrid conditions. You just endeavored to take each watch and what situations presented themselves in stride calmly and with honor and the pride you had for loyal and faithful service on behalf of all Dade County residents. It's stated that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, well you were a prince of a man and a truly most humble servant of the good Lord. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

June 1, 2014

Loveliest of lovely things are they, one earth, that soonest pass away. The rose that lives its little hour is prized beyond the sculptured flower. There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral. You enjoyed the outdoors, Officer Cook and also working from time in either your parents' garden or your own planting the seeds that would sprout forth a new plant. Stones and grass can't talk back to you, a rabbi once told my mother, may she rest in peace that the grass won't talk back, so that is why when I visit the grave of my parents and yourself, I leave some stones by your grave when I visit, it's a biblical symbol, I mean no disrespect, after all you were a neighbor, friend and our hero. The story of your humble life and career serves to teach us many lessons and the greatest is to be faithful to your religion and your profession. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 31, 2014

I want a wife affectionate and fair, to solace all the woes of life and all its days to share; of temper sweet, of yielding will, of firm yet placid mind, with all my faults to love me still, with sentiments refined. Your married each another, Officer Cook, you and Karen, your beloved wife had so much more to share. The two professions you worked so hard to achieve and everything you earned by honest and dedicated work that the good Lord provided you with. What more can be said? Karen knew your job had risks and yet you were determined to succeed through honesty and dogged perseverance. Your loving family, friends and colleagues knew this was your Means of operating. If you read these reflections, Karen, you can be sure I think and have always thought of your beloved husband in the highest regards. Your niece, Gina and her husband, Trevor and their three children are very special and meeting them at your mother-in-laws home meant the world to me even if I sobbed like a baby thinking of your husband. I will continue to pray for you, Mrs. Cook and do hope you are feeling well out in San Diego. You can say hello to Justin, I met him and say hi to his brother, Josh. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero, you and Karen had much more to fulfill, many dreams left to share. When I look up and see planes in the sky I think of you probably enjoying your retirement and taking many nice relaxing vacations together. You and your dad are together and helping Our Creator protect those who now serve and protect us. Two outstanding individuals meshing to form a most sacred and loving bond we call a happy marriage. Twenty-five years of a well-lived and honorable life produces memories to last a lifetime and those can never be taken. Wickedness can never prevail, goodness only blossoms, grows and perpetuates. Her profession demands the same challenges and the long hours involved. My niece, Ashley has just started out in her new career, nursing, where dignity, integrity, and honesty are essential to the tasks at hand.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davisl

May 30, 2014

All assemblages of man are different from the men themselves. neither intelligence nor culture can prevent a mob from acting as a mob. The wise person and the knave lose their identity and merge themselves into a new being. That was part of your profession, Officer Cook, to assist all citizens who needed help and helping to bridge the gaps in the community so that safety and peace would merge under the same umbrella. Daring, bold and yet humble, with an inane humility to carry out your job with the utmost honor and respect you had for all. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. On May 16, 1979, your courageous actions probably prevented in all likelihood a mob scene or even racial tension which might have lead to riots in Liberty City where more bloodshed may have resulted. Innocent lives, many saved by a resourceful young man who helped put his stamp on a community rebuilt because of your sacrifice. And a county and community forever grateful.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 30, 2014

Man's role is uncertain, undefined and perhaps unnecessary. It is my principle that the will of the majority should always prevail. Your role as a police officer and the profession you embarked upon was almost always sure to yield good results and peaceful resolutions to dilemmas that you, Officer Cook, relished solving through sound logic to go along with your calming voice of reason. Police officers roles will always be needed if citizens are going to be able to survive and prosper in liberty and unity. The community you served so well with distinction my neighbor, friend and hero will forever be indebted to you for making the ultimate sacrifice. All the good traits you were raised with are missed by your colleagues today. Honesty, dignity and integrity if dispensed properly can carry a person a long way down the line of success. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 29, 2014

I'm no better than the best and whether worse than the rest of my fellowmen who knows? You were a cut above the rest, Officer Cook and that was why you could be relied upon in a pinch. You colleagues all knew you would look after them, no one expected you to be sadly placed in an early retirement. This evil surely rears its ugliness and we never know from day to day what to expect. Surely now with God steering your compass my neighbor, friend and hero, you can never be wrong, eternity has one of its most trusted and hardest working angel looking down at us. Rest in peace. And humbler than most.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 28, 2014

The natural man has a difficult time getting along in this world. Half the people think he is a scoundrel because he is not a hypocrite. You were by birth, Officer Cook, a natural in your chosen profession. No airs about you all or false bravado, you said what needed to be relayed to the citizens to whom you took a sacred affirmation to serve and to protect. Unfortunately, today we have those police officers both genders who put on a false face and if they are sent out to the streets you'll never know what might transpire. You were very humble, forthright, a very decent policeman, a loving husband, devoted son and brother who served with nothing but sincere class and distinction. Your whole life was dedicated to helping with the good of mankind and making this world a more safer and secure place for all future generations. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Whether people knew you formally or not they were treated the same, whether by Officer William Cook, Billy Cook or Bill Cook.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 28, 2014

Men are not made like boxes, a hundred or a thousand to order and all exactly alike, of known dimension and all their properties known; but no; they come into nature through a nine months' astonishment and of character, each one, incalculable and of extravagant possibilities. Police officers surely are not boxes and not perfect and yet they must be above and beyond reproach in character, honesty, dignity and integrity. But it is how they live their lives and perform their jobs with grit. Bravery, courage and valor that sets them apart from ordinary and hard work citizens. When you were born, Officer Cook, I'm mighty certain your father, Charles, may he rest in peace and your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, may you live and be well, were mighty excited for bringing in a healthy and happy baby boy, who would someday grow up to become a man, a genuinely humble public servant who would rise above the problems that plague our society and put his life and career on the line to battle the forces of evil which still to this day permeates throughout our great nation. You were determined to eradicate this wickedness that ratchets up the day to day happenings and threatens to derail those folks who endeavor to end this mayhem which disturbs the very fiber of the morals necessary to carry on in a productive fashion. You were one devoted officer, Officer Cook and a true blessing to all mankind. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero, may your name be remembered for a blessing. The day you were born: Nov. 30, 1953 is the day when you began your humble life as a hero and you exemplified this right until your last watch making everyone proud to have been associated in any way, shape or manner with you and your loving family.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 27, 2014

Shallow men believe in luck, believe in circumstances....Strong men believe in cause and effect. Realizing what hard work and opportunity is all about. Once in a while there will come a man for whom all the grooves line up and when that happens there is no end to the showering down. A trickle down effect. A police officer's means to an end require toil and an extra effort where they utilize the most energy to get from one place in time to another point in time. Certain channels must be frequented in order for this phenomenon to occur. All of your dignified and perpetual actions, Officer Cook, made this reality happen. You dreamed, you aspired, you inspired others to use their God-given abilities as you used to become a greater human being who could provide the same passion and compassion as you had. If you have the intestinal fortitude and you will it to happen, it will. You had the right stuff, the stamina, the courage, the honesty and the humility to do what needed to be done. Your colleagues have all remembered your fighting spirit, infectious laughter and serious attitude when the situation called for it. Now as life goes on for those who took over your watch, keep making your daily patrols above, high above in God's golden streets. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 26, 2014

And all things that were true and fair lay closely to my loving eye, with nothing shadowy between-I was a boy of seventeen. I would imagine at this age you were preparing to graduate from Norland High where you were part of the band and you enjoyed playing the drums. You were working with the Dade County Public Safety Department, Officer Cook, before embarking in the Police Academy at Miami-Dade College where you received your degree in Criminal Justice. At age twenty, in 1973 you then became a sworn in Metro-Dade Police Officer and now your career in the law enforcement started to take shape. Domestic issues were one of your many strengths and you had the good fortune to partner with some of the Central Division's finest. Including May 16, 1979, the day when you gave your life to secure harmony and goodwill in the Dade County community. Officers Keith DiGenova and Robert Edgerton, along with your partner that awful day, Reserve Officer Scott Lincoln and Detective Donald Blocker, who killed the young man who took your life, were some of your close friends from the police fraternity and the many countless others. Hard to imagine anyone disliking you, much less wanting to do any harm to you or the many other fine officers out there to serve and to protect. You were a man among men whose engaging personality, wit, wisdom and maturity beyond your years that perhaps stood out among all others. All of these are indeed sorely missed. You just keep your loving eyes looking down on us and we will look up at night and see your treasured spirit as it hover above forever. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. You can watch over your tennis partner and friend, Officer DiGenova as he continues to recover from the savage attack that nearly cost him his life as you gave yours. You were more than a humble mere mortal public servant, saving at least seven lives in a few minutes of wanton violence. This can never be forgotten! To repay the honor and respect you gave to your position might take several lifetimes. Doing something proper in your name can honor your memory which in turn enhances your legacy.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 26, 2014

For still in mutual sufferance lies the secret of true living; love scarce is love that never knows the sweetness of forgiving. Police officers train for all kinds of situations and they never know what they might entail. Officer Cook, you truly loved your profession, you possessed an eagle eye and an innate ability to calm people down with your soothing voice. Laying your life down when not called to do so surely tells us the meaning of commitment with valor and dignity. They certainly don't come as brave as you were, you'll continue to be forever known and revered. Those that loved you will always love you and miss you. You'll always be in everybody's thoughts, hearts and prayers. Forgive us if we cry, we all cannot be as stoic as all others. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 26, 2014

Love is the vital essence that pervades and permeates, from the center to the circumference, the graduating circles of all thought and action. Love is the talisman of human weal and woe-the open sesame to every human soul. We, meaning your loving family and friends can keep your spirit and the love and respect you anointed upon people, Officer Cook, will always be kept alive. Your storied life, growing up in North Miami Beach, Florida going through the various schools, some of which I too attended a few years after you, will be there as a part of your living legacy. The career you embarked upon at the Metro-Dade Police Department will too lie as part of your legacy, as this was the very profession of which was the foundation of your life and career of which you desired to become while still a young man. Woe are those folks who have not yet read about your humble beginning until you reached that crowning pinnacle of achievement, graduating from the Miami-Dade Police Academy and having your loving mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, may she live and be well, pinning your badge you solemnly wore for six mighty humble and courageously successful years on your chest of the uniform that you wore with distinguished honor, integrity and pride. This is what keeps your family moving in a positive direction and I know personally your family members are doing just that. In the educational field, your nephew, Justin either is or has received his Masters Degree and like his brother, Joshua, and their sister, Gina are very successful and content with the lives they are leading. I spoke just briefly with Gina's husband, Trevor. They have a very nice family. Their kids, your mother's three great-grand children are very polite and just very special. I can see where they get their politeness from, yourself. You'll always be loved and admired for your heroism. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 26, 2014

Thou was all that to me, love, for which my soul did pine: a green isle at sea, love, a fountain and a shrine. An outdoors man, Officer Cook, you really enjoyed the great outdoors you and Karen. You showed your respect to everyone, you were raised with the proper morals so essential to not only cultivating your career, but validating it as well. The vision you sought after as a Metro-Dade Police Officer is why we have what we have, because of the many brave officers in law enforcement who put their communities before their priorities. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. Your shrine is encircled with a brick and your name etched forever on a marble wall down at Tropical Park in Miami with over one-hundred and forty courageous officers from Dade County who laid down their lives to pursue peace and tranquility.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 25, 2014

So blind is life, so long at last is sleep and none but love to bid us laugh or weep. Every thing you accomplished, Officer Cook, from the time you drew your first breath until your your last breath was only done with the purest of motivations. Love is anterior to life, posterior in death. Love, which is the essence of God, is not for levity, but for the total worth of man. Nothing jovial about becoming a police officer, it's a deep burning desire to really make a difference in society and how each one of us functions day to day in it. Your desire my neighbor, friend and hero endeared you to so many people. Your beloved wife, Karen, saw this trait in you and you were able to sweep each other off their feet. The outpouring of affection for you when a grateful community gathered to say goodbye to you, I can only imagine, sadly I did not attend your services, but I have not forgotten your life, career and sacrifice, as I try to visit your grave often. You were one heck of a gentleman, with a benevolent soul that can tack its place where it truly belongs for serving God through hard work and ingenuity. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 24, 2014

It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature. The great gift of knowledge which the articulate have for the world can be made available to all. Our fundamental want today in the United States, with closest, amplest reference to present conditions and to the future, is of a class and the clear idea of a class, of native authors, literary persons far different, far higher in grade, than any yet known, sacerdotal, modern, fit to cope with our occasions, lands, permeating the whole mass of American mentality, taste, belief, breathing into it a new breath of life, giving it decision. You breathed nothing but pleasant vibes into all of our beings, Officer Cook. You always tackled situations straight forward and in only an honest fashion. And this is the history lesson that you and forty-one other highly skilled Metro-Dade Police Officers wrote as the lesson we should all learn from. Courage and bravery is not something that is etched on people, it's just something that is gained through trial and experience. Police officers need the proper mental acuity to deal with whatever dilemmas arise on their watches. You wisdom and maturity beyond your twenty-five years endowed you with the correct ideals and principles that proved invaluable as you touched the hearts of those who you reached out to. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. The hunger pangs of all police officers must be properly nourished if they are going to sustain themselves against the forces of wickedness.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

May 24, 2014