Colleagues, today I would like to share with you an individual who had a huge impact on my life personally and professionally. The person I am talking about is Ronald Leslie William Cook.
Ron was born on July 15, 1942 to Fred and Irene Cook on a picnic day in Grahamdale, Manitoba. Ron loved the outdoors on the family's homestead in Steep Rock, Manitoba, watching birds, chasing squirrels as a child, and was very interested in all-things nature. He loved watching seeds grow, eventually becoming an avid gardener and stocking the family's larder with fruit and produce. Ron developed a love for team sports in his teen years including baseball and curling.
Now, I am going to fast forward to when Ron arrived in Hay River as a social worker. Then Ron managed the Hay River Housing Corporation for two years and in 1981, he took a job running the local arena before the town had even created a recreation department. Ron was always a community person who loved working together with the people. He further developed minor hockey, as well as minor league softball and curling. Hay River hosted the mixed territorial curling championships when the lounge was only the community's arena dressing room number 1. There are stories about how they made a makeshift floor on the top of the pool area for temporary fantastic lounge for an entire winter. Eventually, Ron was hired as the town recreation director.
Colleagues, I would like to share a few stories about Ron. When I was a young lad, I would go and watch ball down at the Don Wright ball park. Ron played right field for the Hay River team. He was a very strong player but, more importantly, it was about the team. As I said previously, he helped develop the sport of softball in Hay River and this helped me enjoy the sport to this day. He was about developing young people into strong citizens. It was about working hard, having fun, and enjoying your teammates and the other team.
In 1984, I was in university and I reached out to Ron to see if we could develop a summer program for the town. I shared some of my ideas with him and about the importance of a summer program. About a month later, he reached out to me and advised me that he liked the idea and he would be implementing the program that summer. What I found so exciting was that he expanded it and there were four camps spread across Hay River that year. I was fortunate to be one of the camp leaders that year.
I have to say that because of him, I started to look at the recreation field as an option. I can tell you that I had the pleasure of working with him for over 15 plus years. With this in mind, I would like to have the rest of the statement deemed as read. Colleague, he will be missed by his family and friends, but I know he is in a better place. God Bless you, Ron.
Colleagues, as I was entering the recreation field, I had the opportunity to serve with Ron on the NWTRPA board. He had a strong vision on what he felt the recreation field should look like for the NWT. Like all good leaders, he would bring the best out of people especially when it came to getting visions from folks.
In 1992, I moved to Fort Simpson as the recreation development officer. One of the jobs was to get community recreation coordinators together to share ideas and come up with regional programs. I reached out to Ron to see if he could be part of it. After a couple of years of asking him, he was able to fit the next meeting into his busy schedule. At that meeting, he listened, offered some advice, and enjoyed the time spent with all the regional recreation coordinators. After the three days of meetings, he said that he was looking forward to the next meeting.
As I was telling his wife Gale in one of the meetings, Ron shared an issue with the group. The recreation coordinator from Jean Marie River spoke up after Ron described the issue and provided him with a possible solution. Ron got excited. This of course, confused the JMR recreation coordinator and he said sorry. Ron apologized to him and said he had the right solution and the reason he was excited was because he now had the solution to the issue. After that, Ron was sold on the Mackenzie Recreation Association.
I can tell you this was someone I enjoyed talking with and asking for ideas and solutions as we moved forward. As Gale use to joke, the Ben Sivertz Arena was surely his second home.
Colleagues toward the end of his career, Ron became interested in trails as "it is a healthy outlet for people's exercise" and was the driving force behind the 2001 TransCanada Trail relay in the community. Part of his vision is the trail in the community of Hay River. I can tell you, I have had the pleasure of walking on it a number of times.
Ron served two terms as a town councillor before becoming the recreation coordinator. Until he and the family left, he was involved in the Baptist Church, the Kiwanis Club, and the Curling Club. As well, he was involved with the Mackenzie Recreation Association, the NWTRPA, and NWT Curling Association.
As a competitive athlete, Ron competed at the national level for curling three times (1997 2002) in both mixed and seniors' competition.
I forgot to say, when he was 16 years old Ron relocated to Regina to complete his grade 12 and begin his postsecondary schooling at Briercrest, Saskatchewan. Following that, he went to Bethel College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and then he obtained his Master of Social Work from the University of British Columbia.
As a young boy, Ron put this trust in his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and never missed an opportunity to share the good news of God's love and grace. Ron loved to visit people and discuss sports, politics, and theology. I can tell you that growing up, I enjoyed spending Friday evenings as a young teenager with the youth group he was part of.
Over the years, upon leaving Hay River, Ron needed medical and surgical assistance along the way and the family was very thankful to the Almighty God for his best provisions on Ron's life path. The family firmly believed that the many, many prayer warriors help lift Ron and the family to God for help in the times of need. The family wished to express their sincere thanks for all the medical and prayer support they received.
In cloasing, I would like to quote Psalm 18:2:
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge." Until we meet again, RIP Ron.
