I am sad to report to you that my Uncle Cook, David Simmons, left this world this evening about 1800 hours Pacific Daylight time. I talked to his daughter and she said that he was comfortable and not in any pain. As I have mentioned before, he was really a great guy, and was a great example of how to be for my brothers and I. I will put together a short bio and load it to my webpage in a week or so. I will try to get a few photos too. When I get it loaded, I will sent the link to this list.
One of the things that I have done that he was an example for is to become a pilot. It has made my life more rich and alive to “poke holes in the sky”. I have pasted Gillespe Magee’s high flight poem below.
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941
Fly high Cook. I wish for you smooth air and tailwinds. You will be missed but not forgotten.
Thank you, Tim. I was just wondering yesterday how things were going for y’all. He will be missed by us here, and I wish for you and the family to carry the happiest memories of your uncle.
Rest well, David.
Lisa
Your family has my family’s condolences. He was a presence to all of us here, and we only saw pixels on a screen. I can only imagine being as close to him as you were.
When my grandfather died, I was despondent. The things that I could have learned from him were gone forever.
This is how I feel right now. Someone with experience that transcends that of the rest of us no longer can share his wisdom, which cannot be reproduced.
I empathize with David’s family. The loss is forever. No more stories about WWII, no more stories about what life was like back before most of us were born. No more nothing, just anecdotes.
God bless you, brother. It is the least that I can do but to offer the comfort of my God to your uncle. Even if you do not believe in God, it is still all I can give you. I wish I had taken the opportunity to learn more from him. Alas, it is now gone, forever.
Godspeed. comrade. And thank you. I owe you more than I can ever describe. I’ll see you in 20 years or so.
Tim,
My Deepest sympathy to you & the family. I have not been on this board very long, but I do you that your uncle was a special part of it. God Bless .