Charles 'Chuck' W. Cook Jr.

LITTLE FALLS -- Charles "Chuck" W. Cook Jr., 76, Little Falls, died Sunday, Aug. 27, 2000, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of St. Cloud.

He was born March 30, 1924, in Minneapolis to Charles W. and Nannie "Whiteaker" Cook-Crabtree. He moved with his family to his Belle Prairie. He attended grade school in Belle Prairie and Little Falls High School, graduating with the class of 1942. He entered the Army on Dec. 15, 1942, at Fort Snelling. He was discharged on Dec. 3, 1945, from Camp McCoy, Wis. He worked as an aviation engineer during World War II and received five overseas service bars. He married Mildred "Millie" Wuelling on Jan. 26, 1946, in St. Louis. They moved to Little Falls and he worked at Larson Boat Works as a finisher from 1946-1957. In 1957, he went to work for the U.S. Postal Service as a city carrier until his retirement in 1984. From 1979 to 1989, he drove school bus for the Little Falls School District. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church of Little Falls, a member of the Beaux Belles Square Dancers' Club in St. Cloud and a lifetime member of the Little Falls VFW Post No. 1112.

Surivors include his wife; a son, David Cook, Owatonna; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Willa Firestone, Angola, Idaho.

Three brothers, and three sisters, died earlier.

Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church of Little Falls with the Rev. Nick Landsberger officiating. Burial will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Camp Ripley. Military rites will be conducted by the Little Falls VFW Post No. 1112.

Friends may call from 4-7 p.m. today and from 8-9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Shelley Funeral Chapel of Little Falls.