Ryan Colby Cook

Ryan Colby Cook , 27, of El Paso, Texas, died unexpectedly on March 4, 2013.

He was born on Dec. 10, 1985, in Ames, Iowa, the son of Raymond Cook and Sandra (Beese) Cook.

Ryan graduated from Hoosick Falls (NY) Central School in 2004. He earned an Army ROTC scholarship at Ole Miss in Oxford, MS. where, in 2008, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.  He served one year in Afghanistan wherein amongst other medals he was awarded the Bronze Star. At the time of his death, he held the rank of Captain and was on active duty stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.  He was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan and was deeply loyal to Ole Miss football.

Ryan married Jessica (Mose) Cook on Sept. 20, 2009  in Saratoga Springs, NY. She survives as well as her parents, Alfred and Phyllis Mose of Glenville, NY.

Ryan is also survived by his father, Raymond Cook of Wellington, FL, and his stepmother, Jennifer Cook of Saratoga Springs, NY, along with his sister, Bree Cook of Bennington, VT, and stepsister, Austin (Turner) Bayliss of Nashville, TN. He also leaves a maternal great -grandmother, Laura Mosher of Wykoff, MN; a stepgrandfather, Joseph Tornabene of Pownal, VT; his favorite aunt, Debra Beese of Minneapolis, MN and several other aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was predeceased by his mother, Sandra (Beese) Cook in 1989; maternal grandparents Gerald and Murlie Beese, formerly of  Waseca, MN; fraternal grandparents, Charles and Anna Cook, and a step-grandmother, Janet Tornabene.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 10:00 AM at Kinder-Dennis Home for Funerals in Waseca.  Burial will follow at Blooming Grove United Methodist Cemetery.