I lost a good friend this afternoon. At 4:45 p.m. today, Val Cook left this earth for a far better place. He’ll be sadly missed.
I met Val when I first joined the staff of the Bible Society in August 1999 and he was a real source of inspiration to me.
Most ordinary people would think that reaching your seventies is good enough reason to start taking life easy but Val Cook was anything but ordinary. When he hit his seventies he was only just getting started.
Val joined me on many Bike for Bibles rides and was a huge help to me. He would get on with lots of the little jobs which made my role as coordinator so much easier. He would quietly go about getting things done. Nothing was ever too much trouble.
Val Cook was a man who willingly gave of his time, his skills and his finances to further a task that he truly believed in, that of providing Bibles for people around the world.
I was pleased to be able to continue my association with Val after I left the Bible Society a couple of years ago. He wasn’t just a tremendous assistant and helper, he was a tremendous friend.
Val certainly wasn’t a great man in his own eyes but he was someone that I truly admired. I only wish he could have seen in himself some of the wonderful characteristics that I, and many others, could see.
Val’s health was failing over the past few months and he spent the last few weeks of his life in hopsital waiting for his time to go to receive his reward.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Technorati Tags: Friendship – Death – Farewell
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Farewell friend? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
sounds like a wonderful man Rodney
Sorry to hear about this but it’s something we all have to go through at some stage in our life.The loss of a loved one, It hurts I have been through it myself but you just have to keep on keeping on and know they are watching down on you from heaven!
my thoughts and prayers are with you
You’ll be in my thoughts Rodney…
That was a lovely tribute to your friend, Rodney. Best wishes.
The amount of personal pain and rejection that Val went through in his life………
Yet by God’s grace he found his saviour late in life, and purposefully gave his life to Jesus every day.
Well done, good and faithful servant, well done indeed.
Sorry this good man had to leave. I looked “farewell” up in the dictionary just to make sure I understand completedly right. So it doesn´t just say goodbye, parting, but also refers to the transportation expenses you have on the journey and to the food and “stuff” you have with you.
I think he had the best farewell one can have.
I hope he had loved ones around in the hospital when it was his time. Hope they could say farewell.
A long time friend was with Val in his final hours. Another friend and I got to the hospital about 20 minutes too late.
He was a good man. I hadn’t spoken with Val for a few months and didn’t realise he was ill so the news of his death took me by surprise.
Val was a great help to me with my fundraising for the 2003 Bike for Bibles Perth to Hobart ride. As you said Rodney, he just quietly went about his work in the background and was a great help. He will be missed.
Yes he was a true and great friend. Always concerned about others before himself. Even when he was really to sick he picked up his sister, who has difficulties getting around, and brought her to church. Although he was hard of hearing he always made time to talk with people and look out for others. I will miss him also.
We are going to sing, “Wide wide as the Ocean” this week at church during the kids segment.
It was one of Val’s favourite songs, and the one we sung at his baptismal service.
Rodney,
We know such parting is only temporary, but our heart still bleeds.
We know loved ones are in a better home, but we still want them here,
We know good memories are sufficient,
but we still long for more.
We know 70 years well lived are more than enough,
but we keep pestering the Lord, why not 80, 90 or 100?
One day, we will all go home – yes, going home, to the rooms Jesus has prepared for us in our Father’s home.
Be comforted.
Yan