Eldridge Milton Cooke, 87, of 1021 E. Dolly Ann Drive, Covington, Virginia, died Saturday, March 23, 2013 in Lewis Gale Alleghany Hospital at Low Moor.

Mr. Cooke was born April 6, 1925 in Covington, a son of the late Charles Jenkins Cooke and Betty Pearl Richardson Cooke.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first Wife, Betty Cooke; his son, Tommy Cooke; two step-sons, Randolph Nicely and Roger Nicely; two brothers, Richard Cooke and Claude Cooke; two sisters, Louise Burman and Rosalene Wolfred, and a special niece, Lisa Cooke.

He was a veteran of World War II with the U. S. Navy serving in the Pacific Theater, where he received the Asiatic-Pacific Victory Ribbon with 7 Battlestars.

He had retired in 1982 from MeadWestvaco as a brick mason after 20 years with the company.

He was a member of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church and of the Men's Club of the church.

Eldridge was a longtime member of Curtis A. Smith Post #1033, Veterans of Foreign Wars and was a former Boy Scout Scoutmaster.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing his entire life.

Surviving are his wife, Anna Csokay Nicely Cooke, of Covington; his daughter, Gwendolyn Eisenhower, of Pennsylvania; two step-daughters, Glory Nicely Knick and her husband, Dean, of Lexington and Nancy Nicely Cutlip of Bluefield, WV; fifteen grandchildren, Nicole Whitman, Thomas Eldridge Lehman, Jacqueline Lehman Reigner and her husband, Jason, Wendy Knick Dalton and her husband, Gordon, Emily Knick Gilbert and her husband, Chad, Patti Nicely, Brittany Nicely, Daniel Nicely and his wife, Sarah, Mary Nicely Richmond and her husband, Ryan, Sarah Nicely Lankau and her husband, Tim, Bethany Nicely Remlinger and her husband, Paul, Joshua Lavender and his wife, Tara, Candice Tomes, David Tomes and Robert Cutlip; a number of great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service was held Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in the Arritt Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Doug Hollenbeck officiating.

The family received friends Tuesday evening from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. at Arritt Funeral Home. Interment was made in Alleghany Memorial Park with graveside rites conducted by Curtis A. Smith Post # 1033, Veterans of Foreign Wars. The family suggests that donations in Mr. Cooke's name be made to the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church.