Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-10
ASCENSION PASTOR
DIES AT RESIDENCE
Bishop Freeman win Preside
at Services for Rev. DR..
T. w. Cooke.

The Rev. DR.. Thomas Worthington
Cooke, who began his ministry in the
Protestant Episcopal Church in Wash
ington more than 80 years ago, travelled
to other fields and returned in 1922 to
become the rector of the Church of the
Ascension, died at his residence yester-
day after an illness of eight days He
was in his fifty-ninth year.
Death came to the Rev. Mr.. Cooke
within day of the eighth anniversary
of his coming to the church from
Greenville, Ohio, where he had been
rector of st. Paul's Church. On Novem-
Der IL, 1922, the vestry and congrega-
ton gathered in the edifice at Massa-
chusetts avenue and Twelfth street
the rector had been married there in
189j-to welcome him and his wife and
children. The Right Rev. James E.
Freeman, Bishop of Washington, who at
the time was rector of the Church of
the Epiphany, welcomed the Rev. Mr..
Cooke and his family to the Capital on
behalf Of the clergy and the churches.
The Rev. Mr.. Cooke died shortly be-
fore z o'clock last night. His wife and
their three children were with him, as
was Bishop Freeman. Paying tribute to
his life and works, Bishop Freeman
said
DIR. Cooke was one of the most de-
voted, highly consecrated clergymen of
the diocese. Coming to parish in the
downtown district, parish that had
passed through many viciSSitudeS Git
had not had rector for four years
before his coming, he attacked its
problems with vigor, courage and splen-
did efficiency. He was noble example
of the high-minded Christian pastor,
faithful in all things. The diocese ex-
periences great loss in his passing"
Married Native Of Capital.
The Rev. DR.. Cooke was married to
Alice Hume, the daughter of Frank and
Emma Hume, January S, 1898. Miss
Hume was born in Washington. There
are three children, Alice, who became
Mrs. Frank Lloyd Yates; Margaret, who
is now Mrs. Warren Riley Birge, and a
son, Thomas Worthington, jr.
Funeral services will be held tomor-
row morning at IL o'clock in the
Church of the Ascension. Bishop Free
man will conduct the service. 1t was
announced today that the clergy of the
diocese will meet at the parish house at
1o:45 o'clock, and that black stoles VIII
be worn Interment is to be In Ivy
Hill. in Alexandria.
The vestry of the Church Of the
Ascension will be active and honorary
pallbearers. The members are DR.. S. E.
Watkins, senior warden; M. L. Dlcus,
Junior warden; Jesse G. Watts, regis
trar: George B. Wells, treasurer; Fred
erick H. Barcley, Roane A. Clary, Bruce
Baird, o. H. Graves, Frederick s. Tyler,
Frederick c. Dezendorf and Thomas A.
Brown.
The Rev. DIR. Cooke was born in
Providence, r. l., April 26, 1872. HIS
parents were natives of England, ms
father, Samuel Cooke, having lived IN
Worcestershire, and his mother, Ellen
Worthington Cooke, in Nottingham; he
attended the high school and later
Brown University, in Providence, ana
in 1896 was graduated from the Theo-
logical Seminary of Virginia.
Ordained Deacon in 1895.
In 1895 Rev. DR.. Cooke had been or
dained a deacon in his church, ana the
next year, on July 26, he was ordained
a priest, and became assistant 70 the
Rev. DIR. Elliott at the Church OF the
Ascension, in Washington. Miss Hume,
whom he married two years later, and
her parents were members OF the
church.
The vestry and congregation Of Christ |
Church, in Clarksburg, w. Va, called |
Mr.. Cooke in 1898. Five years later ne |
became archdeacon of mountain work |
of the diocese of Lexington and rector |
OF st. johns Cnurcn, at 6ellcNuc-Ody-
ton, KY, work he engaged in for four |
years. Then he went to st. Andrews
Church, in Dayton, Ohio, where he re-
NAMED until 1920, serving as archdea-
con of Southern Ohio. He was active |
in rescue and reconstruction work dur
ing the disastrous Dayton flood IN 1913. |
In 1920, at the invitation of Bishop |
Reese, Mr. Cooke became rector OF st. |
Paul's ParishSat Greenville, Ohio, and |
two years later he accepted the unani- |
nous call of the vestry of the church |
of the Ascension in Washington. He |
was instituted on February 4, 1928, by |
Bishop Harding.
The Rev. DR.. Cooke was member |
of the executive council of the diocese |
of Washington and the department Of
missions and the finance committee. |
In addition, he served as chairman OF
the Committee on the State of the |
Church in the Diocese. He was an
original incorporation of the Episcopal
Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.
The Church of the Ascension was es-
tablished in 1845 by the Rev. Levin |
j. Gilliss and was rebuilt on the site
it now occupies in 1875. In 1908 the
church became the pro-cathedral of the
diocese of Washington and retained
that designation until the National
Cathedral on Mount st. Adams was
occupied.