Gary W. Cook Jr., 56

It is with great sadness that we announce Gary W. Cook Jr., 56, unexpectedly passed away on Saturday, July 16, 2022.

Born July 9, 1966, in Spokane, Gary grew up in the Hauser Lake area near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He met his wife, Jodi, while visiting the big island of Hawaii in December 1988. It was love at first sight and, 10 months later, in October 1989, they were married. In 1999, Gary decided to move his growing family to Whitefish, Mont., to start his own pole-building company, as well as to fulfill a vision of building and selling homes. He fell in love with the Flathead Valley and spent the last 23 years raising his two children, becoming an integral part of the community.

Gary will be remembered for his dedication to his family, his wonderful, sometimes quirky sense of humor and his honest and hardworking mindset in everything he set his mind to. Gary was the embodiment of a self-made man. A man to be admired, who would always choose the right path, not the easy path. Those who knew him could always count on him. He was a selfless and reliable person who would never hesitate to help someone in need.

When Gary wasn’t working to run his business and provide for his family, he enjoyed living life to the fullest. He only seemed to know how to move at one speed: fast! Throughout the year, you’d find him out on Flathead Lake riding a jet ski, side-by-side riding in Arizona or enjoying the sunsets and beaches in Hawaii.

Gary is survived by wife Jodi, daughter Leah and her spouse, Kyler Felton, son Austin and his spouse, Courtney Cook, parents Gary Sr. and Betty Cook, mother-in law Donna Richards, brother Scott and his spouse, Sharon Cook, sister Shannon Cook-Burton, sister-in-law Rhea and her spouse, Jordy Vaughan, as well as nieces and nephews, Karsten, Kaydence, Mason, Brendan and Katie.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Robert and Lorraine Hughes and James W. and Leah G. Cook.

A celebration of life is planned at the Muth family residence at 1160 Martin Creek Lane, Whitefish, Mont., 59937 on Saturday, Sept., 3, at 1 p.m. He was a beautiful, spirited soul and will be dearly, deeply missed.