William “Bill” J. CookeRossville, GA

William (Bill) J Cooke, 87 of Rossville, Ga passed away peacefully on Friday, November 8,
2024. Bill had lived over 50 years in Rossville and owned businesses in the communication
industry for many years. He graduated from Kirkman Technical School in 1955 and joined the United States Army. He was stationed at White Sands Missile Base in New Mexico where he excelled in his field where he received several awards. He was honorably discharged and
continued his service in the National Guard Reserve. He worked for General Electric until
opening his own business, Cooke’s TV Service. In 1974 he made the decision to start a new
venture in the cable television industry with the inception of Battlefield Cabletelevision. He
opened Cooke Enterprises, a cable provider servicing Calhoun and Charleston Tennessee, later Lookout Cable TV servicing the Rossville and Fort Oglethorpe area as well as CND Cable servicing Murphy and Andrews North Carolina. He started North Georgia Communications which began with two-way radio systems and later evolved into communication towers.
Bill was on Hutcheson Medical Center Hospital Board for many years where he served as
Treasurer and Director. He served on the Walker County Water Commission as Treasurer and was instrumental in the upgrading of the water system. He was involved in many aspects of County government and strongly supported the betterment of the community for its citizens.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Jean Cooke, infant son, Donald Cooke; parents, John D and Gladys E Cooke; brother John D (Pete) Cooke, Jr: sister Gail Hoge and sister Ann Stoker Sheppard.
Survivors include his children, Dr. William J Cooke, Jr., Deborah Jean Cooke Raines (Kenny), Robert Wayne Cooke (Lori) and Lisa Darlene Cooke Clark (Steve); grandchildren Ronwyn (Wendy) Marie Raines Larson, Elisha Nicole Raines Maxwell, Courtney Clark Grice, Shelly Clark Osburn, Austin Miller(Kathryn) and Hailey Bent (Dale); ten great grandchildren; brother, Jack Cooke, sister, Linda Powell, brother Dan Cooke (Kay) and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 in the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow in Lakewood Memory Gardens-South. The family will receive friends from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Monday and from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Walker County Stocking Full of Love campaign. Condolences may be left at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Wilson Funeral Home Wilson Funeral Home Ft. Oglethorpe Ga.