Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Eating as most of us know it means to partake in food or drink. Figuratively eating can be used in the sense of gaining wisdom and learning, for learning nurtures the human intellect just as food nurtures the body. Give heed to me and you shall eat choice food. It is not good to eat much honey. My son, eat honey for it is good: let its sweet drops be on your palate. Know such is wisdom for your soul. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of salvation. You will joyfully receive new teaching from the chosen of the righteous. The righteous individual you were, Officer Cook, is the salvation of your dear and cherished soul that will ultimately provide the redemption that we all seek. The wisdom you attained at such a young age allowed you the opportunity and ability to perform your job at a high level of efficiency and you have taken this to a much greater place. A place where you forever patrol God's streets from above passing down this thirst for wisdom and learning. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. May your heroic sacrifice truly bring about the salvation we all yearn for.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 24, 2012

Like a person thirsty for water, you my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, were always yearning to gain deeper insights in all that your profession entailed. You probably would get out of your police car and assist an elderly person crossing the street. We should all strive to have this attitude. It makes us better people as you were Officer Cook. Rest in peace, you sacrificed yourself for us and life has changed since your untimely passing, but the memories of your wonderful life are always there for us to converse on.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 22, 2012

When a person passes from this world, the first thing they are asked is what did they accomplish while alive? Officer Cook, you can certainly answer in the affirmative. Your commendations you received for excellent police work speak volumes. As an officer, you worked different shifts, and being able to function at night, I can speak from personal experience of the rigors and stress that is brought about by the job. The dangers are lurking every time you put on your uniform and step in your squad car. This type of occupation is what brought joy to you, and your wife and family supported your decisions. I'm just so sorry I could never meet you, but I do visit your grave and offer prayers on your behalf and your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook is always in my prayers. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 22, 2012

Do not seek greatness for yourself and do not desire honor: let your deeds exceed your learning. Do not yearn for the table of kings, for your table is greater than theirs. As I have reflected in the past, Officer Cook, you lived very modestly and humbly. I'm sure you and your lovely wife, Karen, entertained guests at your home. The fine upbringing you and your sister, Nancy had allowed you to focus on your careers. I'm not sure what your sister did, but I'm sure she was a fine housewife to her children. Two of them, Gina and Justin, I had the pleasure of meeting. I met Gina earlier this year at your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook's home, and I cried, sobbed like a baby remembering your life and the sacrifice you made on behalf of Dade County citizens. You were always willing to go beyond what was required of you and were eager to share your wealth of knowledge with other officers to help them serve the public better. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero along with your father, Charles, as you both sit at the head of God's heavenly table.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 22, 2012

Because you served God and Dade County citizens in a first class manner, God has blessed your treasured soul, as you patrol God's heavenly streets. To all who call upon God, He hears their cries and saves them. I personally as your neighbor, friend and hero wished that day, that despite all the medical actions the doctors employed to save your life, could have succeeded and you could be here today celebrating all of your family's milestones and the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. You and your father, Charles are up in heaven probably having great father and son chats as you family looks forward to the day when you are all reunited. Your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, in September celebrated her ninety-seventh birthday, a true testament to good health, spiritual devotion and a life despite family tragedies, one well lived. God should grant her continued good health and a prosperous life, filled with nothing but happy times. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. I hope you and your dad are conversing with my parents, Owen and Bernice Davis. My dad, as I reflected in the past was a thirty-eight year veteran of the New York City Police Department.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 21, 2012

Dignity is due the sufferers, and we deprive them of this by too-easy equations that validate the necessity of their pain. Your family and colleagues have every right Officer Cook to feel wronged, wounded emotionally and angered by the hand life has dealt them. We can never ignore or make light of your bravery and couregeous actions thirty-three years ago in which you without being mandated to, volunteerily answered a call of a domestic dispute and tried your utmost to calm a troubled young man down. Life can be cruel at times, the world even as you patrol God's streets with your fellow officers who have made the same sacrifice as you made, still has evil that present day officers sometimes find difficult to get a handle on. Your expertise was in domestics and your calming demeanor served you well. God has His reasons for taking good people, a young man such as yourself in his prime of life with everything to live for. A lovely wife in Karen, dedicated to making people well, your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, the epitome of a beautiful woman, who exudes dignity, class and devotion to her loved ones, and finally, your sister, Nancy, who to this day, misses you, my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, her darling little brother. Your father, Charles who loved your mother, who loved both you and Nancy and I'm sure made great sacrifices to make sure that you both succeeded in all of your endeavors. You my friend, Officer Cook, did not let anyone down. Your heroism is being talked about this day and I'm certain it too will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 21, 2012

Officer Cook, you were that genuine and special kind of hero who is worth notice. The unique qualities you possessed were: morality, decency, honesty and integrity. You and your sister, Nancy were raised in a very devout home with adherance to the principles of God. A police officer for all they endure need a small amount of bravado. But true courage as you so brilliantly displayed on May 16, 1979 remains the cornerstone of your distinguished career with the Metro-Dade Police Department. Courage itself is a quality in the service of ends, and if the ends be immoral, the courage is no salvation. My neighbor, friend and hero your performance that say was an act of freedom, endeavoring to speak with a troubled young man to surrender and release his hostage, his girlfriend who was wounded by his wanton and callous actions. His cowardly actions cost you your life, despite your heroic actions to put an end to violence that did not need to escalate to the point of no return, or better yet, no turning back. Heroism is a function of vision, and getting one to conform to that which is a normal act of society. For all your actions as a true professional, you should rest in peace, and we'll remember the morals and scruples that defined the life of Police Officer William Coleman Cook, Badge#1664. The decency with which you treated each individual you came in contact with will never be lost in our memories.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 21, 2012

The attributes of God are the groundwork upon which morality rests. God is good to all and the greatest good is that His creatures learn from Him to be merciful to one another. It is the zenith of human aspiration to imitate God's ways as far as possible and appropriate for a human being. This foundation comes from relationship, from caring, and from love. This is where Officer Cook, you were above to serve and protect the public with the help of the community of Dade County. Your concern and compassion for those you served was well known. You were able to train and teach over fellow officers while serving because of your integrity, honesty, and vitality for appreciating the opportunities placed before you. Rest in peace in honor so richly deserved my neighbor, friend and hero for looking out for our best interests during your six years as one of Metro-Dade Police Department's finest officers.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 20, 2012

Although we cannot always reconcile God's acts with our concept of a just God, we can seek to further our understanding of His ways. By creating human beings of free will, God of necessity, limited His own future range of action. Endowing us with free will can be seen as an act of divine love. At times we are confounded and even angered when we can't discern the purpose of suffering or the warrants of evil's targets. During moments of travail, we can find solace in God who identifies compassionately with us in own our struggles. We maintain our faith in God whose will it is that good triumph over evil. Officer Cook, that very day you gave up you life heroically, that tragedy and personal suffering your loved ones and colleagues experienced was able to spur us on to new levels of compassion, creativity, healing, hope and liberation of the human spirit. You death was not God forbid in vain, if anything, we should take the opportunity to expose those officers in training as to how to deal with a particular event that you my neighbor, friend and hero dealt with professionally and so gracefully on a daily basis. Rest in peace and I'll always keep your mother, Mrs. Julia Cook, your sister, Mrs. Nancy Tidwell and other family members in my thoughts and prayers.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 20, 2012

The blueprint of God is perfect, restoring the soul, the testimony of God is trustworthy, making simple the wise: the orders of God are upright, gladdening the heart: the command of God is clear, enlightening the eyes. To summarize: It is our duty to encourage others to serve God, whether or not we fully comprehend the spiritual grand scheme of things. If we at least try to recognize that we must try to serve God, at least we have formulated a basis of why we were created. Officer Cook, you were encouraged and seemingly always wanted to become a police officer and the life you so proudly and honestly lived was one we must all strive to emulate. You sank your very being: heart and soul into your job. A job that is of course not only thankless at times but dangerous. You achieved success through patient endeavor and the sacrifice you made on May 16, 1979 on our behalf was because how you personified courage, bravery, and valor. You'll never be forgotten by my family, nor by the men and women who worked with you. Your loved ones can always look back at the wonderful memories of the life you so lived with dignity and heroism. The blueprint you left for us to follow is one of patience and character on how to conduct your professional affairs in a proper atmosphere. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 20, 2012

Thank you for your Heroism Sir, RIP

James Kotke
Civilian / Former Officer
WSF Park Police (Wi.)

November 20, 2012

Even when humanity fails in its obligations of conduct and decency, it does not forfeit Divine concern. There are however degrees and differences.God loves all humanity, but can draw closer to those who love Him. It is those who seek God who have shown readiness and eagerness for relationship. More important than the love of God alone is the human awareness of it. It is this unique love that God made human beings in His image, and a special love is what it takes for us to realize that God made human beings in His image. To love alone in secret is not enough. Love must be fostered among all mankind. It needs to be expressed, felt, shared. When God broke the mold and created you my neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, he certainly knew the exact kind of warm human being you would inspire to be. Compassion, feeling, love and appreciation go hand in hand when describing the professional and personal life you exemplified. When in uniform you went out of your way to assist others and off duty you and your lovely wife, Karen personified what it means to care and share with others. You were raised in a devout home where religion was not just preached, but practiced actively with each other. You probably made many friends from the Visitation Catholic Church where you and Karen worshiped. God is of the world, constantly seeing, understanding and listening. These qualities are what guided you through the pathways in both of your professional and personal lives as a police officer and as a registered nurse. God's watchfulness afforded you and Karen, Officer Cook, the special uniqueness to sense when a situation was proper for you to pursue. Rest in peace Officer Cook in God's heavenly shelter and let your humanity, compassion, guidance and understanding flow continually down from above. We could all use some of these ingredients to help us navigate through each and every day that lies ahead. Keep our compasses turned in the right direction, as you have been doing for these last thirty-three years, steadily following our every movement and that of our law enforcement professionals. help show them the proper and decent way to conduct their lives, as you so bravery and with courage and conviction carried out your goals, dreams and aspirations. You were an inspiration to all. You and your father, Charles are now together helping patrol above with all of the officers who so bravely made the ultimate sacrifice that you made, as we try to get a proper balance of conduct and decency in making this world a safer and better place to prosper.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 19, 2012

Officer Cook, your dad, Charles preceded you in passing with all the blessings of good. He was a career military person I believe. You too served with distinction as a Metro-Dade Police Officer, and were blessed with goodness. You could probably have taught music at some school, but choose a more nobler path in life. The profession you followed was dangerous, but that was not how you looked at the job. You did not stray nor shy away from challenges. Rather, you looked at them as a way not only to make a living for Karen and yourself, but to serve the public interest. God gives us life, we can't ask for length of days, it's up to our Creator. The twenty-five rich and meaningful years you dedicated to helping others will never be forgotten. As I've reflected before, it's how you utilize each and every waking moment to accentuate positive outcomes that matters most in the end. My neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, rest in peace and we should count our blessings, those of us privileged to have known and befriended you. I'm still sorry to this day that I never had the honor to have met you, even though our families lived around the corner from one another in North Miami beach,Florida.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 19, 2012

As confident as you were when you began your career with the Metro-Dade Police Department, so too were you, Officer Cook in all that you enjoyed. Your life of twenty-five years was lived with joy, pleasure, humbleness, and honor. For all that you sacrificed on our behalf, it's a shame you and your fellow officers who made the ultimate sacrifice could not be honored more than once a year. Your parents, sister, and wife, Karen, were very proud of what you stood for and how you accepted the challenges you faced on duty daily. I know we all have to live our lives, and I'm certain this is what you would want us to do. But we will never forget, nor in any lifetime could Dade County pay you back for your sacrifice. You richly deserve all the homage that is afforded you. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. You are greatly missed especially this holiday time of the year.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 19, 2012

I meant to say in my last reflection Officer Cook, the perfect innocence and righteous ways with which you took to work each day, should serve as a reminder that one never knows the perils that lie ahead of a person. You tackled your position with honor and integrity and your sacrifice should never be forgotten. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 19, 2012

The perfect innocence and righteous ways you with with you took to work each and every call will forever remain implanted in those who carry on with the arduous responsibility of serving and protecting others. To carry on after all these years that have passed since your untimely death is something that takes a supreme human effort to achieve. But, I know that you would want future officers to take the torch and instruct others on how to be an effective police officer as you were. You were very confident in your abilities, and I do not think for one moment that you doubted yourself that you could handle any task at hand. You were not afraid to go the extra mile to assist anyone and for this we need not forget your sacrifice. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. To be the torch bearer of your cherished name is a great onus but I believe we are up to the supreme challenge. You'll forever walk in perfection patrolling God's heavenly streets.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 18, 2012

Who is this, the man fearful of God, He will show him the way he should choose. His soul will rest in goodness, and his descendants will inherit the land. The secret of God is for those who fear Him, and His covenant is to let them know. My eyes are constantly towards God, for he will free my feet from the snare. Turn Your face to me and show me favor, for I am alone and I am afflicted. Because of the goodness and valor that you so displayed on duty, Officer Cook, you treasured soul can rest in peace. It is now up to your descendants to carry on your rich and precious life that you so fondly led. If you were her today, undoubtedly you would be very proud of how your family members are living their lives even in difficult and trying times. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero. The community you grew up in would be proud to have shared you with others.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 18, 2012

Remember your mercies, God, may You remember for me for the sake of Your goodness. Officer Cook, you treated everyone with compassion when called upon. You gave us reason to think that what occurred that fateful day was your outstanding character coming to fruition in attempting to defuse a dangerous situation. You'll never be forgotten by my family, your family and colleagues who adored you and looked up to you as a treasure to be with. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 18, 2012

The knowledge you imparted to others will surely never be forgotten. Officer Cook was the officer that was looked up to in times of misery and distress. The sacred trust and onus that was placed on your shoulders is something that ordinary people may not comprehend the magnitude of. Evil and wickedness may never be totally eradicated from society, but my neighbor, friend and hero, you were never afraid to dig in and do what needed to be done properly to accomplish the task at hand. Rest in peace and assist us in trying to get a handle on the tasks at hand in this world. There is good in this world, sometimes one requires a searchlight to find it.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 16, 2012

Let all the world perceive and know that righteousness will bring salvation, that you reveal Yourself to those who seek You with a perfect heart. The honesty you possessed will one day bring the redemption of your blessed soul. I still miss you this day and your family should know I'll never forget that day. I sticks in my gut and it should stick in others guts too. Rest in peace among the righteous souls of your colleagues who made the ultimate sacrifice as you did to maintain law and order. Officer Cook, the photos you took of the beauty of this land should serve to remind us of all the good that exists in this land of the free and home of the brave. You were brave and valiant beyond any shadow of doubt.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 16, 2012

And we, like them make answer: and that the Lord has spoken we will do. Open our hearts to your great love, our eyes to the beauty of Your world. Help us, O God of revelation, to glimpse Your truth in every person and nation. Officer Cook, the day of your birth, your parents had a hint of the genuine success you would grow up to become. The thoughtful insight and intuition helped you perform your duties with maximum effort. You gave that very effort the day of May 16, 1979 when you made the ultimate sacrifice to help eliminate evil and your ingenuity will forever be remembered. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 16, 2012

One who shames any person in public is not worthy of a share in the world to come. Officer Cook, my neighbor, friend and hero, you only tried to assist people, and if you chose any other profession other than police work, you would have been a success. Cool, calm and collected is usually how to get the job done. I salute you on a job well done. Your name will live on in the hearts of those who were so dear to you. Your sacrifice on our behalf will never be forgotten Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 16, 2012

You are the fountain of all life: Your light illuminates our lives. Bestow loving kindness upon those who love You and Your righteousness upon the truly upright.Teach us all of our days, that we may attain a heart of wisdom. Grant us love in the morning, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Give us discernment and understanding. keep us from falling into sin, transgression, or iniquity. Bring us not to trial or disgrace. let no evil impulse gain mastery over us. Keep us far from wicked men and corrupt companions: strengthen our desire to perform good deeds, and bend our will to Your service Lead us back to You truly repentant. Heal us, O Lord, and we shall be healed, help us and save us, for You are our glory. Grant perfect healing for all our afflictions, faithful and merciful God of healing. O Lord consider us with kindness, as we have placed our hope in You. For all the training, the blood, sweat and tears you poured your very soul into your passion as a police officer, the very least we can do for you, Officer Cook, is to remember your exemplary service to Dade County and its citizens. Rest in peace my neighbor, friend and hero in honor and dignity with those officers who have laid down their lives like you to make this world safer. Your very soul is what helps a person heal and the compassion you brought to policing the streets. The situation with President Obama's Secret Service Detail was such a disgrace, all of you fine men and women who gave your very souls would be turning over in your resting places. A real black eye to the law enforcement profession.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 15, 2012

Heavenly father, grant perfect peace to our people and their leaders, disciples, to all engage in performing their law enforcement duties, here in this land and in all other lands. Let there be grace and kindness, compassion and love for them and for us all. Grant us fullness of life and sustenance, save us from all danger and evil. Amen You saved us from evil with dignity , compassion and grace under fire. It's truly a crying shame, tragedy what happened on May 16, 1979. But, Officer Cook, my neighbor, friend and hero, you won't be far, as you are always on my mind along with my parents and other beloved relatives. Rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 15, 2012

May the Lord open our hearts to His commandments and inspire us to love and revere Him, to do His will, and wholeheartedly serve Him, so that we may neither labor in vain, nor give birth to confusion. Amen My neighbor, friend and hero, Officer Cook, the six years of sweat and toil you gave as a Metro-Dade Police Officer was never in vain. You always looked out for us regardless of our circumstances. You stood for equality and justice the American Way and gave up your existence so we could pursue happiness and prosperity. You are a shining inspiration for your loved ones and colleagues from all across this great land of liberty, freedom, and opportunity. Rest in peace and may your soul burst through the clouds in happiness.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

November 15, 2012