J Mike Cook

Durham - J. Michael Cook, 72, died unexpectedly at home, on the night of July 26, 2021. He was born on October 1, 1948 in the town of Wellsville New York, to the late Michael and Jane Cook.

Mike grew up in Wellsville, a town that was near and dear to his heart. He always fondly told stories of growing up and all the people he loved. He attended Wellsville Highschool where he was a member of the wrestling, football, and tennis teams. He graduated Valedictorian in 1966.
Later on he earned a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Alfred University, and went on further to earn his PhD in cell biology from the University of Virginia.

He married his wife, Gail, in 1972, and spent fifty wonderful years with her. The two went on many adventures together, and had many stories to tell that usually ended in laughter. They had two children Kevin and Kimi Cook, whom they cherished. The pair shared a love of the outdoors - birding in particular- and also a love of live music and travel. They were often spotted at the Blue Note Grill to take in the blues music.

Mike worked in the flow cytometry department at Duke University Medical Center for 34 years. In 2003 he was promoted to department manager. He was often seen on his bicycle, and his favorite way to commute was to ride the American Tobacco Trail. His lab was easily recognizable due to his extensive Elvis Presley memorabilia collection. He loved Duke and was always excited to cheer on the Blue Devils basketball team.

He had a deep love of sports, and never missed an opportunity to coach his children's sports teams. He was a member of the DSA athletic booster club, and the DSA Dads - an organization that did small facility improvement projects around the school. The DSA Dads became his best friends, and they continued to meet up every Friday morning for breakfast long after all of their children had graduated. They are a group that he cherished.

Mike fully immersed himself into every community he was a part of. He was extremely friendly and talked cheerfully to everyone he saw. He will be most remembered for his dry humor, his kindness, his resourcefulness, his boundless curiosity and his intelligence.

Michael Cook is survived by his wife Gail, his daughter Kimi, his brother Brian, sister Kathy and brother Alan. Mike is preceded in death by his son Kevin, his father Michael and his Mother Jane.

A memorial service is being held Saturday July 31, 2021 at 10am at Hall Wynne Funeral Home in Durham, NC. There will be an additional memorial service at the end of August in his hometown of Wellsville, NY. More details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the public radio station WTJU in Charlottesville Virginia: www.wtju.net/

The Cook family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online Condolences: www.hallwynne.com