Maurice Durand Cook

Our beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away peacefully the morning of September 8, 2026, at the age of 92. Maurice loved his family and continued to be lovingly involved with his posterity until his last day on earth. What an honor for 18 great-grandchildren and 6 grandchildren to have known their great-grandfather and grandfather. Maurice ran 5k races with each grandchild, carefully selecting the races, age categories, and prizes offered to ensure a maximum fun experience was had by all! Memories abound for the great-grands of Sunday family dinners, small table and chairs purchased for the little ones to use, attendance at baptisms, baby blessings, mission calls, and toys placed around his assisted living apartment for a two-year-old great-grand to rearrange accordingly.

Maurice Durand Cook was born on May 21,1934. He was the third boy born to Clifton and Maurine Cook, each arriving 18 months apart. Louis, Arvin, and Maurice and their families remained close throughout the years, enjoying family visits to Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Utah where they had settled. In 1938, twin girls, Ruby Cook Crandall and Ruth Cook Rowland, were welcomed to the family, followed by a very late caboose, Rebecca Cook Beck. Fun family visits with the girls continued in Colorado, Virginia, and Utah. Maurice is survived by two sisters, Ruby and Becky.

Maurice loved managing the stage crew for the Granite High School plays, his favorite performance being Brigadoon. He also worked hard at the brickyard during his school years. Often in the last year after he returned to Utah, while visiting different towns, he would point out where he had delivered brick back in the day.

With the country still at war in Korea, Maurice opted to volunteer to join the Army, informing his parents after returning from signing the papers. After two years of service, in part serving in the post WWII occupation force in Germany, he returned to the mountains.

Soon it was time to register for college at the University of Utah. But Maurice had not decided to attend college. As he told the story, his boss at the brickyard asked him if college registration was tomorrow. Dad said yes but I'm not going. His boss said, "If you show up here at the brickyard tomorrow, you will no longer have a job. Go register for college." Dad did, and the advice from his brickyard mentor changed the trajectory of his life. He went on to earn a BS degree in Ceramic Engineering from the University of Utah in 1958. He made numerous presentations at multiple prestigious engineering conferences on running refractories and other areas of his expertise.

Maurice began dating a vivacious, dark curly haired beauty, Margie Buck, in her junior year of high school. They were married on November 23, 1954, in Memory Grove in Salt Lake City. Once they were reunited after Maurice finished his military service, they began their family. Pammy Sue was born on January 13, 1957, and Steven Durand was born on April 28, 1962. Dad's work opportunities with Harbison Walker, Reynolds Metals, and then going out on his own (he was self-employed for over 30 years), and finally BPI, took the family to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, and eventually Georgia.

While living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Maurice had a calling in church serving with the youth. On a youth conference field trip to Kirkland Ohio and other surrounding church sites, Dad wrote that it was a very spiritual experience for him. Their commitment to living the gospel of Jesus Christ truly began in Pennsylvania and continued throughout their lives. Steven and Pam are eternally grateful for being raised in a gospel centered, Christ centered home. In August 1974, Maurice and Margie Cook were sealed in the Manti temple and Steven and Pam were sealed to them.

Maurice Cook served for 13 years on the High Council in overseeing the Physical Facilities. It was said that the Naperville Stake in Chicago could not have operated without Maurice! His favorite calling, however, was nursery leader, claiming that in nursery your class members were always happy to see you and you always got a snack. His shortest calling was as Sunday School teacher for the class in the hallway! In the Suwanee Ward in Georgia, Dad was the Ward Clerk for 4 different Bishops. He always said his job as Ward Clerk was to keep the Bishop off the 6 o'clock news! When he was finally released, a special dinner was held in his honor with all 4 previous Bishops attending!

Maurice and Margie served a local mission in Suwanee, Georgia serving as facilitators for the then named Addiction Recovery Program, now titled Healing in Christ. They renewed their mission time twice, serving over four years. Every Friday evening during those years they were at the church building to facilitate the class, even if that Friday fell on New Years Eve or Christmas. Margie went through chemo treatments for two of the four years for follicular lymphoma cancer, only missing two or three classes in all of that time. The principles of the program were so successful in changing people's lives, Maurice would often remark that everyone should take the class. We all have addictions of some sort, he would say, and the miracle of Christ's atonement to change lives is something we all need.

The family was able to witness a most tender side of Maurice as he lovingly cared for Marge, not only while she fought and beat cancer, but in the last few years of her life as dementia worked its cruel deed. Maurice would devise projects for her, incorporating things she had always loved to do. One time he had tables with cloths spread out in the screened porch. He had Mom paint dozens of wood slats which he then built planter boxes from. Sometimes Mom would paint on the cloth or paint the same part of the slat several times. It did not matter. She was very happy doing something she loved.

How does one capture the hyphen between the birth and death dates, the summation of a life well lived, the essence of the person whose life we cherish and celebrate? Maurice Cook loved and believed in gaining an education and then going out and making the world a better place to live. Maurice believed in hard work, it was good for the soul. Maurice loved the Savior, loved living and sharing the gospel, loved helping and very generously giving to those in need, and absolutely loved making family memories. Maurice leaves a legacy of love, faith, and patient endurance.

Maurice Durand Cook is survived by his son, Steven Durand Cook (Kelli Udy), his daughter Pam Cook Klomp (Richard Klomp), six grand-children, Jared Cook (Saleel Menon), Kate Cook Tolman (Caden Tolman), Michael Klomp (Lauren Rains), Christine Klomp Harding (Ryan Harding), Jason Klomp (Noel Carter), Heidi Klomp Holder (Sean Holder), and 18 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family would recommend you do something kind for a veteran.