1930 – 2021 (January 25)
Thomas Raymond Cook was born on October 30, 1930, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, one of three sons and two daughters of Thomas R. Cook and Catherine Loeper. Thomas was baptized on November 16, 1930, at Saint Francis Church, Norristown, and attended Saint Mauritius School, Ashland, PA., Saint Patrick School, and Saint Patrick High School, Norristown. He entered Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, New York, as a postulant in 1949, and was received into the Order as a novice on September 9, 1950 in New Hamburg, New York. He professed simple vows on September 10, 1951 and then attended Villanova College where he received his BA in Philosophy in 1954. He professed solemn vows on September 10 of that same year and went to Augustinian College, Washington, DC, for his theological studies. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1957, at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC, by Bishop John McNamara. He received an MA in Education from Villanova University in 1959.
Father Tom’s first formal assignment was to Immaculate Conception Parish, Hoosick Falls, New York, as teacher and as principal of the parish high school. In 1965, he was assigned to the faculty of Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, DC. In 1968, he became Director of the Brothers’ Formation Program at Mount Augustine Retreat House, Staten Island, NY. From 1969 to 1970 he was assigned to the faculty of Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern, PA, and from 1970 to 1980 to Biscayne College, Miami Gardens, FL, as Dean of Men, the Development Office, and Assistant to the President. From 1980 to 1983 he was a member of the Saint Augustine Parish Community, Casselberry, FL, while pursuing graduate studies at the University of Florida, Gainesville, where he received the Ed. D.
In 1983, Father Tom moved north to Our Mother of Good Counsel Monastery, North Andover, MA, where he taught both at Merrimack College and at Austin Preparatory School, Reading. In 1987, he returned to Casselberry, Florida, and attended the sabbatical program at Notre Dame University. From 1988 to 1995 he was assigned to Saint Thomas Monastery, Villanova, as Director of the Augustinian Seminary Guild until 1991, Director of Missions, from 1989 to 1991, and Director of Development, from 1988 to 1995. He then returned to Biscayne, now named Saint Thomas University, where he worked in the school’s admissions office. In 2007 he was assigned to Saint Augustine Friary, Villanova, Pennsylvania where he remained until August 2020 when, due to declining health, he moved to The Willows, Hatfield, PA.
Father Tom Cook, always cordial, friendly and gentlemanly, contributed greatly to the province’s advancement efforts in the early days of its operation. He died unexpectedly and peacefully on the morning of January 25, 2021.
