Larry Cook was more than a businessman. He was a pillar of Northwest Colorado, a devoted family man and a community leader whose impact spanned decades. 

As co-founder of multiple car dealerships throughout the area, Larry helped shape the economic and community landscape of the Yampa Valley. 

Born Feb. 1, 1930, Larry Cook’s youth was shaped by the Great Depression. The hardships of the era, according to his son, Scott, helped forge Larry’s strong work ethic. It also led to his enduring resilience, ability to overcome challenges and his deep sense of care and responsibility toward others, especially after losing his father at a young age.

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Following his attendance at Emporia State University, Larry served in the U.S. Army, where he worked in counterintelligence during the Korean War. Despite being stationed in Japan, his adventurous spirit never left him. His son explained that his father would share stories of near-misses, including a face-to-face encounters with the enemy in the demilitarized zone and dodging a monsoon while duck hunting with a friend.

As fate would have it, that friend turned out to be his future brother-in-law. 

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After completing his military service, Larry returned to Kansas, where he began working in the insurance division of General Motors (MIC). His role required frequent moves, and by the time his son was in elementary school, the family had relocated several times. That’s when Larry, along with his wife, Pat, decided that they needed to establish roots in a community that shared their values and provided opportunities for them to continue their outdoor adventures. 

In 1962, an opportunity to do just that presented itself.

A colleague from MIC, Floyd Reed, had already purchased a Chevrolet-Oldsmobile dealership in Craig. Larry partnered with him, moving his family to the small but growing community. Just a few years later, Larry bought out Reed, which led to the business being renamed Cook Chevrolet. 

By 1979, booming business led to the dealership outgrowing its original downtown location near the present-day Bank of Colorado, which led to Larry relocating the business. Cook Chevrolet was eventually moved to its present location in Craig where, to this day, the Cook family continues to serve its customers, employees and the community. 

Larry’s business acumen and commitment to customer service helped the dealership thrive. As time went on, Cook Chevrolet expanded to include a Steamboat Springs satellite, which soon developed into a full dealership and service facility.

The family has also held Jeep, Oldsmobile and Subaru franchises.

Larry’s contributions extended well beyond selling cars. He believed in supporting the people who supported him, a principle he instilled in both his son and the business.

“He was in the Jaycees,” his son Scott recalled, referencing the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, a nationwide civic organization for young community leaders. “They did a lot of good things for the community.” 

Scott noted that one of their biggest events involved organizing whitewater rafting trips on the Green River, which created lasting memories for participants and benefactors alike.

Larry and his wife Pat’s dedication to Craig and Moffat County didn’t stop there. 

Pat was an elementary teacher in Craig for 16 years. She served as a mentor for aspiring educators in the community, as well. 

Both Larry and his wife loved recreating and spending time outdoors. Scott recalled the positive impact his father had on him, including memories from family trips at their cabin near Hahns Peak.

He also remembered his father’s bold antics during their adventures into the mountains.

“If we went out someplace and didn’t get stuck, it was a complete failure,” said Scott. “We’d get stuck and then get pulled out and continue.”

Larry was also actively involved with the local Chamber of Commerce and contributed to numerous causes including the Senior Citizens Bus program, the Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Colorado and Memorial Regional Health, who Scott said took amazing care of his father prior to his passing. 

Larry also supported the United Way, where he started the dealership’s dollar-for-dollar match of donations that were made to further the organization’s reach.

At the heart of almost all of his decisions, however, was his dedication to taking care of his family, his employees and the community that supported them. 

“We have people who’ve been with us for 30 years,” Scott said. “And, in the car business, that’s really unusual.” 

Larry’s philosophy was simple — if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers.

Larry Cook’s profound impact on his family, his business and the community will remain long after his passing. Even in his final days, he was still asking Scott about the dealership, as he remained invested and interested in the people he knew and the business he built.

“He never fully retired,” his son said. “He was talking about the car business four days before he passed.” 

His deep sense of community responsibility lives on through his son, who intends to continue the family business with the same values of loyalty, service, generosity and stewardship. 

Larry also leaves behind a lasting mark on Craig and the region as a whole. He witnessed and embraced the area’s evolution from a small ranching town to a community shaped by the rise and fall of the energy industry. Unlike some who grew uneasy with the waxes and wanes of local economic change, Larry saw the gradual growth and transitions as an opportunity, believing it brought strength and new possibilities to the area. 

“He felt like this was a great part of the world,” his son reflected. 

At his core, Larry was a man who valued hard work, loyalty and giving back to those who surrounded him. He treated people with kindness, helped where he could and lived by the belief that success was about more than just financial gain — it was about lifting up others along the way.

“If I was going to sum him up,” his son said, “he was a little bit like a bulldog. He was tough, very loyal and he protected and took care of his people.”

Scott added that his father really gave him “a head start in the car business,” which he noted was special since Larry had to “start from zero” when his father passed away early in his life.

Northwest Colorado lost a community leader when Larry Cook passed, but his spirit remains firmly planted in Routt and Moffat counties through the people he helped, the businesses he built and the lessons he passed on.

Larry Cook is survived by his son, Scott, as well as his daughter, Kristi. His wife, Pat, passed away in 2017.