Leland Theodore 'Bud' Cook

Milestones for Wednesday April 23, 2008 edition

(Updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 6:53 PM)

Leland Theodore "Bud" Cook

Leland Theodore "Bud" Cook celebrated his 100th birthday Feb. 9 with dinner and dancing at the River Island Country Club in Porterville. He was born Feb. 9, 1908 in Portland, Ore.

He was a Merchant Marine, then attended Oregon State College, and in 1938 earned a master's degree from Stanford University.

During World War II, he was a flying instructor for the Army Air Corps. Flying remained a passion and when he lived in Auberry, he had an air strip in back of his home.

After the war, he became the Superintendent of Schools at Sierra Joint Union High School at Tollhouse, a position he led for 20 years. Sierra at the time had an attendance area of 4,500 squire miles, from Fish Camp to Balch Power House on the Kings River.

Former student Bob Wheeler of Oakhurst said Sierra High in those days was like a big family, and he lived in the dorm.

Cook's daughters used to come for the Wednesday night dances.

"He really cared about all of us; we respected him," Wheeler said.

Wheeler said it was Cook who inspired him to become a pilot.

Cook enjoyed skiing, fishing and boating. He also became a craftsman and built an 18-foot inboard and a cabin in the Sierra.

He and his wife, Mary, traveled all over the United States and Mexico in a trailer. They also took freighters to Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.

Wheeler said former students -- including many of his classmates from the Mountain Area -- came from all over the nation to attend the birthday.

He said there were more than 100 people there.