Walter Earl Cook

Walter Earl Cook, a beloved husband, father, brother, and cherished member of his community, passed away peacefully on November 26 2024, in Tifton, Georgia, surrounded by his loving family. 

Graveside service will be held at 11:00 A.M on Saturday. November 30, 2024 at Harding Methodist Church Cemetery with Rev. James Hall officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday, November 29, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at Albritton Funeral Directors.

Jeff Fulghum, Alan Pratt, Tony Turner, David Clements and Dickie Hilton will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be UGA and USDA employees of Coastal Plains Experiment Station and his hunting buddies.

He was born September 26, 1938 in Dooly County to Wade and Myrtis Cook and was the oldest of five children. He retired after 30+ years from the University of Georgia Coastal Plains Experiment Station and USDA as a Research Technician in the forage and blueberry department. 

Earl married his childhood sweetheart, Joyce Greene, and they have been happily married for 65 years and had three children. 

Earl enjoyed working with the Tift County FFA and 4-H livestock programs and his own children and grandchildren with their cattle, sheep, goat, chicken and rabbit projects. He loved hunting and fishing, and he and Joyce also ran their own plant nursery. He was an active member of Harding Methodist Church and the Harding Community.  

He is survived by his wife, Joyce; son Ronald, and his wife Angie, daughter Angie and her husband, Mike Crumley and his daughter Deborah Cook. His grandchildren, Matthew Crumley, Jared Cook and his girlfriend, Madison McGhee and Ivey Cook. He is also survived by his brother, Skeeter Cook and his wife Teresa, and sister, Peggy Collins and brother-in-law, Lewis Pratt, as well as cousins, nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents Earl Wade Cook, and Myrtis Ruth Turner Cook, along with his sisters, Anne Fletcher, Lana Pratt and brothers-in-law, Mike Collins and Kenneth Fletcher.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude and appreciation to the many healthcare workers and caregivers of Hospice of Tift Area. 

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.