Brad Cook

1954-2025

With deep sadness, we announce the tragic death of Brad Cook on April 4^th 2025, at the age 70. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, his children, Bev, Brian and Sheila (Margot), and his step children Gary and Sharyl. 

As an active member of the Huntsville Curling Club, Brad was curling 4 days a week this past January. He was very fit and healthy. Then, suddenly, he became sick with RSV (a new cold virus), followed by the flu, eventually leading to complete respiratory failure and death. This is a caution to us all to take extra special care of our bodies during flu season. 

Brad was a kind and friendly man who always tried to do right. He worked at Air Canada for 25 years traveling back and forth between Toronto and Sprucedale (where his kids grew up). He then started a commercial cleaning business called Office Care in Huntsville, which he ran with his wife, Sharon. He never retired. He would always say he was “not retired, just tired.” 

Brad and Sharon made many wonderful memories together. They took cruises through the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. They escaped the cold winters with trips to Cuba and the Domincan Republic where they swam with dolphins and roasted in the sun. They even used to have an albacore sail boat which they would sail together on Lake Vernon where they would swim at Hutcheson Beach. They also curled together for many years at the Huntsville Curling Club.

At heart, he was truly a craftsman and inventor. He was always working on some new implement to make his job and life easier. This extended to helping his son Brian, of Cook Craft Canoe, to make his work run smoother. Brian says, “the countless things my father has done to help me in the boat shop are memories that will be staring me in the face every time I go out there. His name will live on with the boats we build here.” 

Brad was also a talented and multi-faceted musician. At the early age of 8, he began to study the clarinet, in which he quickly excelled. He attended Western Technical and Commercial High School in Toronto and transitioned to alto saxophone, where he played first chair in the school’s stage band and was featured on two records released for the band. He also took on work repairing the school’s instruments, learning to play them in order to repair them, and was fond of saying, “I can play any instrument I can blow into.” He was also a skillful pianist and composed lullabies for his children to celebrate each of their births.

After high school, Brad played saxophone in a Toronto-based stage band, performing at the Balmy Beach Club under the direction of Red Heron. After relocating to the north, Brad played saxophone and clarinet in various community bands, including the Near North Concert band, for which he composed music, as well as the Muskoka Concert Band. He also played bagpipes for the Cameron of Lochiel Pipes and Drums band, based out of Huntsville. 

In addition to music, Brad was an avid fan of motorsports, particularly Formula One racing. From an early age, he attended live racing events across North America, including tracks such as Mosport in Ontario, Watkins Glen in New York, and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, named after his favourite driver. Brad’s passion for Formula One was passed on to his oldest daughter, Bev, who never misses a race and has attended numerous live races across the world herself. His many F1 colloquialisms remain at the top of her mind each race weekend. She plans to honour his memory on the weekend of what would be his 71^st birthday while attending the Barcelona Grand Prix this June.

Brad was a long time member of the curling club for over 25 years. He will be missed and fondly remembered by all his friends at the club. “Those who knew Brad will tell you that he was always helpful, fun and a model of good sportsmanship, both on and off the ice. And we will all remember him for his signature spin-o-rama delivery at many of our bonspiels,” says Ron Kreutzer, President of the club.

Brad loved to be out on the water and, in recent years, spent many days out in the Greavette, a mahogany runabout that he was restoring with his son. He taught his children to waterski not long after they learned to walk. He was at his absolute happiest when he was gliding across a glassy lake on a set of skis. He had planned to take a canoe trip with his son Brian this summer in a wooden canoe they had built together.” We shared a passion for the water,” says Brian. “He was my best friend, and he was taken away from us far too early. I will always feel closest to him when I am out in a boat.” 

A celebration of life will be held on May 18^th from 12 to 4 pm in Huntsville at the Active Living Centre. The Active Living Center is located at the rear of the summit center towards Lions Lookout. 

Don’t miss out on Doppler!

Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!

Click here to support local news