[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5500]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          IN MEMORY OF AL COOK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Sunday, March 20, 2005

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, funeral services will be 
held Monday to recognize the late Al Cook, a gentleman widely admired 
in South Carolina and a greatly appreciated legislative expert in 
Washington. Al Cook holds the distinction of being the only person to 
ever serve as chairman of the House Democratic and Republican Chief of 
Staff Organizations reflecting the extraordinary political evolution of 
Southern politics from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
  The following obituary was published on March 20, 2005, in The 
Beaufort Gazette of Beaufort, South Carolina.

                              William Cook

       William Alpheus ``Al'' Cook, 79, of Beaufort, husband of 
     Wanda Edwards Cook, died Friday, March 18, 2005, in Beaufort 
     Memorial Hospital.
       Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Carteret Street 
     United Methodist Church for a burial with military honors in 
     Beaufort National Cemetery.
       Mr. Cook was born Nov. 23, 1925, in Patrick, a son of John 
     Edward Cook and Mary Emily Cox Cook.
       He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina and 
     received his degree from the University of South Carolina Law 
     School in 1950. While at USC, he was president of Omicron 
     Delta Kappa and a member of the Wig and Robe.
       He served in the U.S. Army's 42nd Infantry ``Rainbow'' 
     Division in Europe during World War II and continued with the 
     U.S. Army Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He began 
     his professional career on the staff of the Legislative 
     Council for the S.C. General Assembly, and in 1953 he joined 
     the staff of U.S. Rep. John J. Riley. He later worked as an 
     administrative assistant and chief-of-staff for U.S. Rep. 
     Albert W. Watson and U.S. Rep. Floyd D. Spence, all 
     congressmen representing the second congressional district of 
     South Carolina. After moving to Beaufort, he practiced law 
     and was involved in the guardian ad litem program. He was a 
     member of the Republican Party.
       Survivors include his wife of Harbor Island; two sons, 
     William A. Cook, Jr., of Beaufort and John Kendrick Cook of 
     Panama City, Fla.; two sisters, Sue Cook of Hampton and Betty 
     Gaddy of Fork; and two granddaughters.
       Memorials may be made to Carteret Street United Methodist 
     Church, P.O. Box 788, Beaufort, SC 29901.
       Copeland Funeral Home is in charge.

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