William Cool

William Kenneth “Ken” Cool, 81, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully on June 21, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.  Ken was born on September 19, 1940, in Lansing, Michigan to William and Beulah Cool. Growing up in Webberville, Michigan, Ken first attended a one-room country school, then Webberville High School. He graduated from Michigan State University and went on to earn a master’s degree from Western Michigan University. Proudly serving his country, Ken was in the U.S. Army, 2nd Infantry Division, with part of his time including a tour with the 304th Signal Battalion in Seoul, South Korea. In civilian life, Ken enjoyed a long career in accounting and public administration, spending the last years of his employment working for the State of Michigan’s Department of Education. Ken had numerous hobbies and interests, including international travel, cutting wood from the family acreage, financial planning and investments, and staying physically active. After his retirement, Ken continued working as a volunteer, sharing his talents preparing taxes and helping where needed at Charlotte’s Senior Center as well as assisting with the democratic process, in which he deeply believed, by serving as a poll worker for local, state, and federal elections.
Perhaps Ken’s greatest interest, however, was spending time with his beloved family. On January 2, 1965, in Michigan State University’s Alumni Chapel, Ken married Sarah Garfield. When asked to share about the beginning of their relationship, he wrote recently that he was simply “enchanted” with Sarah. Theirs was a marriage, a friendship, and a true partnership that lasted fifty-seven years. Ken is survived by Sarah. Others who survive Ken, and who will remember him for his honesty, gentleness, patriotism, humility, generosity, tolerance, intelligence, and quick sense of humor, are his three children; Susan (Mike) Hall of Ludington, Mike (Anne) Cool of Cadillac, and Jennifer (Todd) Davlin of Portland; numerous nieces and nephews, as well as his grandchildren: Tom Hall, Julia Hall, Jeffrey Davlin, Jill Cool, Sarah Davlin, Ellie Cool, and Marian Davlin, who survive him with memories of time spent around the water at his Duck Lake family home and on vacations together, shared stories and jokes around campfires and at family gatherings, and a smart, witty, loving, tech-savvy, involved Grampy who was deeply interested in each of their lives and who knew and accepted each of them lovingly and unconditionally. Ken was preceded in death by his mother and father as well as by his brother, Robert A. Cool.
The family invited friends to join them in a time of visitation at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, Michigan, on Friday, June 24, from 2-4:00 p.m. and from 6-8:00 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday, June 25 at 11:00 a.m., with a period of visitation beginning just prior to the service at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Eaton Area Senior Center. Friends and family are encouraged to share memories of Ken on his tribute page at www.prayfuneral.com/obituaries/William-Cool/ The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home.