Cecil Edwards Cooke Jr.

Cecil Edwards Cooke Jr., 87, passed away peacefully on June 18th, 2025, leaving behind a legacy stitched together with sharp wit, deep love, and the kind of stories that only grow better in the retelling.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Lucia Cooke, who matched his fire with grace. He was the proud father of daughters: Elizabeth Cooke Gilmour (and her husband Ian, and their son Jack Gilmour), Susan Virginia Boyd (and her husband Alan Boyd), Allison Zimmerman (and her husband Andrew Zimmerman), and son Cecil Edwards Cooke III (and his wife Denise Cooke, and their daughter Imagene Cooke).

Cecil’s life was full and fiercely lived. He made a habit of pushing limits—sometimes rules—and always buttons, especially when there was a laugh to be had. Whether regaling friends with tales that toed the line of legend (and occasionally crossed it), debating the finer points of American history, or offering the kind of hard-earned advice that lingered long after the conversation ended, Cecil left his mark.

A proud graduate of Duke University and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, he carried both intellect and discipline with him throughout his life.

He loved well, laughed often, and made sure the people around him never took life—or themselves—too seriously. He will be missed more than he would have allowed us to say.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Goodson Chapel; 407 Chapel Drive; Durham, NC 27701.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Cecil's name can be made to Toys for Tots, Duke Medical Research, or the Animal Protection Society of Durham.