Geoffrey Cook, a former Assembly staff member who became a Sacramento lobbyist for Southern California Edison, died Tuesday of complications from a heart ailment.
He was 70.
Before joining the ranks of the "third house," as lobbyists are known, he worked both as a consultant and as minute clerk for the Assembly.
As a consultant in the mid-1950s for the Assembly's committee on local government, he was known for his independence and integrity, Louis Keller, an insurance lobbyist, recalled.
"He always did good, clear, sound work" as an Assembly staffer, Keller said. "As a lobbyist, he was also highly regarded."
John Quimby, a lobbyist and former legislator, remembered him as "an institution" who "learned (the) art from the old timers."
"He was one of the original Derby Club members, back in the days when lobbyists worked out of their hip pockets and didn't have offices," Quimby said.
"Things were really different back in those days," said Mr. Cook's brother, Gale Cook, who once covered the Capitol as a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner. "Geoff did it well. He was a very good-humored guy. You had to be in that kind of a job."
William Geoffrey Cook was born in Turlock to Ruth Hedman and W. Coburn Cook, a lawyer who once served as district attorney of Alpine County. He graduated from Turlock High School in 1946 and from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1951.
As a college student, he worked summers for the state Division of Highways, now called Caltrans, on a survey crew.
While working for the Assembly, he took night classes at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Although he graduated, he never practiced law.
When he was a child, Mr. Cook and his family spent part of their time in Alpine County. During most of his adult life, he lived in Sacramento, but his legal residence was his second home in Woodfords, Alpine County.
He was a member of Douglas Lodge No. 12, F&AM, in Genoa, Nev., near Woodfords.
When he retired from Southern California Edison in 1987, he was regional executive vice president of the company.
His hobbies included fly fishing and hunting. In retirement, he and his wife of 49 years, the former Pat Baker, traveled extensively.
In addition to his wife and brother Gale, survivors include a son, Jason Cook of Woodfords; daughters, Cindy Cook of Ceres and Lisa Cook of Makawao, Maui, Hawaii; another brother, Hilary Cook of Woodfords; and a sister, Corinne Cook of Turlock.
At his request, there will be no services.
He was 70.
Before joining the ranks of the "third house," as lobbyists are known, he worked both as a consultant and as minute clerk for the Assembly.
As a consultant in the mid-1950s for the Assembly's committee on local government, he was known for his independence and integrity, Louis Keller, an insurance lobbyist, recalled.
"He always did good, clear, sound work" as an Assembly staffer, Keller said. "As a lobbyist, he was also highly regarded."
John Quimby, a lobbyist and former legislator, remembered him as "an institution" who "learned (the) art from the old timers."
"He was one of the original Derby Club members, back in the days when lobbyists worked out of their hip pockets and didn't have offices," Quimby said.
"Things were really different back in those days," said Mr. Cook's brother, Gale Cook, who once covered the Capitol as a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner. "Geoff did it well. He was a very good-humored guy. You had to be in that kind of a job."
William Geoffrey Cook was born in Turlock to Ruth Hedman and W. Coburn Cook, a lawyer who once served as district attorney of Alpine County. He graduated from Turlock High School in 1946 and from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1951.
As a college student, he worked summers for the state Division of Highways, now called Caltrans, on a survey crew.
While working for the Assembly, he took night classes at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Although he graduated, he never practiced law.
When he was a child, Mr. Cook and his family spent part of their time in Alpine County. During most of his adult life, he lived in Sacramento, but his legal residence was his second home in Woodfords, Alpine County.
He was a member of Douglas Lodge No. 12, F&AM, in Genoa, Nev., near Woodfords.
When he retired from Southern California Edison in 1987, he was regional executive vice president of the company.
His hobbies included fly fishing and hunting. In retirement, he and his wife of 49 years, the former Pat Baker, traveled extensively.
In addition to his wife and brother Gale, survivors include a son, Jason Cook of Woodfords; daughters, Cindy Cook of Ceres and Lisa Cook of Makawao, Maui, Hawaii; another brother, Hilary Cook of Woodfords; and a sister, Corinne Cook of Turlock.
At his request, there will be no services.
Geoffrey Cook, a former Assembly staff member who became a Sacramento lobbyist for Southern California Edison, died Tuesday of complications from a heart ailment.
He was 70.
Before joining the ranks of the "third house," as lobbyists are known, he worked both as a consultant and as minute clerk for the Assembly.
As a consultant in the mid-1950s for the Assembly's committee on local government, he was known for his independence and integrity, Louis Keller, an insurance lobbyist, recalled.
"He always did good, clear, sound work" as an Assembly staffer, Keller said. "As a lobbyist, he was also highly regarded."
John Quimby, a lobbyist and former legislator, remembered him as "an institution" who "learned (the) art from the old timers."
"He was one of the original Derby Club members, back in the days when lobbyists worked out of their hip pockets and didn't have offices," Quimby said.
"Things were really different back in those days," said Mr. Cook's brother, Gale Cook, who once covered the Capitol as a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner. "Geoff did it well. He was a very good-humored guy. You had to be in that kind of a job."
William Geoffrey Cook was born in Turlock to Ruth Hedman and W. Coburn Cook, a lawyer who once served as district attorney of Alpine County. He graduated from Turlock High School in 1946 and from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1951.
As a college student, he worked summers for the state Division of Highways, now called Caltrans, on a survey crew.
While working for the Assembly, he took night classes at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Although he graduated, he never practiced law.
When he was a child, Mr. Cook and his family spent part of their time in Alpine County. During most of his adult life, he lived in Sacramento, but his legal residence was his second home in Woodfords, Alpine County.
He was a member of Douglas Lodge No. 12, F&AM, in Genoa, Nev., near Woodfords.
When he retired from Southern California Edison in 1987, he was regional executive vice president of the company.
His hobbies included fly fishing and hunting. In retirement, he and his wife of 49 years, the former Pat Baker, traveled extensively.
In addition to his wife and brother Gale, survivors include a son, Jason Cook of Woodfords; daughters, Cindy Cook of Ceres and Lisa Cook of Makawao, Maui, Hawaii; another brother, Hilary Cook of Woodfords; and a sister, Corinne Cook of Turlock.
At his request, there will be no services.
He was 70.
Before joining the ranks of the "third house," as lobbyists are known, he worked both as a consultant and as minute clerk for the Assembly.
As a consultant in the mid-1950s for the Assembly's committee on local government, he was known for his independence and integrity, Louis Keller, an insurance lobbyist, recalled.
"He always did good, clear, sound work" as an Assembly staffer, Keller said. "As a lobbyist, he was also highly regarded."
John Quimby, a lobbyist and former legislator, remembered him as "an institution" who "learned (the) art from the old timers."
"He was one of the original Derby Club members, back in the days when lobbyists worked out of their hip pockets and didn't have offices," Quimby said.
"Things were really different back in those days," said Mr. Cook's brother, Gale Cook, who once covered the Capitol as a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner. "Geoff did it well. He was a very good-humored guy. You had to be in that kind of a job."
William Geoffrey Cook was born in Turlock to Ruth Hedman and W. Coburn Cook, a lawyer who once served as district attorney of Alpine County. He graduated from Turlock High School in 1946 and from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1951.
As a college student, he worked summers for the state Division of Highways, now called Caltrans, on a survey crew.
While working for the Assembly, he took night classes at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. Although he graduated, he never practiced law.
When he was a child, Mr. Cook and his family spent part of their time in Alpine County. During most of his adult life, he lived in Sacramento, but his legal residence was his second home in Woodfords, Alpine County.
He was a member of Douglas Lodge No. 12, F&AM, in Genoa, Nev., near Woodfords.
When he retired from Southern California Edison in 1987, he was regional executive vice president of the company.
His hobbies included fly fishing and hunting. In retirement, he and his wife of 49 years, the former Pat Baker, traveled extensively.
In addition to his wife and brother Gale, survivors include a son, Jason Cook of Woodfords; daughters, Cindy Cook of Ceres and Lisa Cook of Makawao, Maui, Hawaii; another brother, Hilary Cook of Woodfords; and a sister, Corinne Cook of Turlock.
At his request, there will be no services.
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