By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MONTGOMERY - R. Jerome "Jerry" Cook was recognized recently by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as one of its longest subscribers.

"His father started taking him to the symphony as a child," said his son, Michael, of Harrison.

As soon as he was old enough to earn his own money - some 70 years ago - Mr. Cook became a subscriber.

He kept up his subscription by working for many companies over the years and preparing taxes for the past 30 years.

Mr. Cook died Tuesday of pneumonia at Hospice of Cincinnati in Blue Ash. The Montgomery resident was 88.

Born in Richmond, Ky., he grew up in Pleasant Ridge. He attended college until the hardships of the Great Depression forced him to leave school.

After the death in 1964 of his first wife, Marie Leyrer Cook, he attended night classes at the University of Cincinnati for several years.

Mr. Cook was an assistant manager at J.C. Penney stores in Hamilton and Defiance. He later worked in the display departments of Lerner and Pogue's.

He was working in the engineering department of the Mosler Safe Co. when it closed in 1996. For more than 30 years, Mr. Cook also prepared taxes. He was still working on returns two weeks ago when his son drove him to the hospital.

In his younger days he was active with the Boy Scouts. He was also instrumental in restarting the parochial school at Lutheran Immanuel Church in Hamilton, according to his son.

Other survivors include his wife of 31 years, Janet M. Lemon Cook; three other sons, David of Canton, Mich., Thomas of Castlerock, Colo., and Timothy Cook of Valparaiso, Ind.; a stepson, Mark Lemon of Defiance; a stepdaughter, Denise Lemon of Cincinnati; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Visitation is 10 a.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church of the Saviour, Montgomery. The funeral follows at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton.

Memorials: United Methodist Church of the Saviour, 8005 Pfeiffer Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242.