Obituary of Norman Howard Cook

Norman H Cook, 86 of Yuba City, passed away on October 21, 2017 after a long valiant fight with cancer.  Norman was born February 4, 1931 in Santa Rosa, California and attended high school in Healdsburg, California where he was an outstanding athlete in basketball and football. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served as a medic. Norman was a former Chief of Police in Gridley in the late 60’s to the early 70’s - after service as chief of police in Orland, California. Prior to that, he was the youngest man to ever hold the job of assistant sheriff in Lake County. 

Norman was a very involved father - he coached his sons’ little league baseball team for several years and enjoyed watching his sons play sports all through their high school years. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and loved to go camping and traveling with his family when time allowed. He taught all his kids to fish and the boys to hunt.

After leaving police work, Norman and his wife Marge owned two very successful 7-11 stores in Yuba City and in Linda, California where he employed most of his six children at one time or another. Many people in Gridley will remember Norman and Marge as managers of both the Gridley Springs and the Oaks Apartments in Gridley. Norman worked until he was 82 years old where he was employed by the State of California at the Oroville Dam Visitors Center. He loved to work and be involved in the community and interacting with the public.

Norman was preceded in death by his beloved wife Marguerite who passed away January 21, 2016, his father Charles Cook, mother Lorena Faught and his sister Barbara Kron.

Norman is survived by his six children; Gail Barrington (Joe) of Rocklin, David Murray (Maria) of Healdsburg; Kathy Cook of Yuba City, Brian Cook of Roseville, Michael Cook of Gridley and Julie Biggs (Steve) of Gridley, his sister, Kay Knighton of Twin Falls, Idaho, 17 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are entrusted to Block-Gridley Funeral Chapel. A private burial will take place at Gridley Biggs Cemetery.