Christopher Stephen Cook

Chris Cook died peacefully at home on Saturday, April 8th, at the far too young age of 52, after a courageous battle with colon cancer.

Chris was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended the University of Cincinnati, where he received a BA in finance.  After graduation he worked at Star Bank and Bank IV; he then moved to Kansas, where he worked with Smith-Breeden Associates.

While in Kansas, he began a friendship with a colleague, Cindi. They quickly realized that they were much more than friends, and Chris took a job with Wachovia bank in North Carolina in 1997 to be closer to Cindi. They were married in October 1998, and spent the next quarter century loving each other and raising their boys, Griffin and Marshall.

Chris spent his career working in finance; this led him to move fairly often early on; Milwaukee; Chicago, where he earned an MBA from the University of Chicago, and Minneapolis. In 2004 he and Cindi returned to North Carolina, moving to Charlotte, where they would finally settle. He continued his career in jobs with the Federal Reserve, TIAA-Cref, and finally with the FDIC. In Charlotte he was a member of Independence Hill Baptist Church and was active with BSA Pack and Troop 148, eventually achieving the Order of the Arrow.  He was most active in supporting his boys in their many sports leagues and school activities.

There was so much of Chris to love; his quick wit and wicked sense of humor; his faith, his loyalty to his friends. The delight he took in his boys, whether it was surprising Marshall with a trip to see Derek Jeter in person or taking Griffin to see Weird Al Yankovic. And, of course, his relationship with Cindi, and the joy it brought them both. Chris also loved many things: his Bearcats and Reds; travel, especially cruising; the MCU and Star Wars; video games, and always a good concert. But all of it was loved through the prism of his friends and family. What he was doing was never as important as who he was with; whether it was a sporting event, a cruise, tailgating, or just hanging out, the important things in Chris’s world were Cindi, his boys, and his friends. His passing will leave a gap in their lives, but the impact he had on them will continue forever.

Chris was preceded in death by his grandparents Ralph and Iva Dean Hines.  He is survived by his wife, Cindi; sons Griffin and Marshall; mother Wanda Woods, Aunt Elaine, Uncle Kurt, cousins Matthew and Sarah.  A memorial service will be held at Independence Hill Baptist Church on May 20th at 1:00pm.