Dr. James A. Cook, age 82, a resident of Winfield, formerly of Wheaton and St. Charles, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Monday, October 3, 2016.  He was born March 9, 1934 in Muskegon, Michigan, to Marinus and Ella Cook.

He grew up in Muskegon and graduated from Western Michigan Christian High School, Calvin College, and earned his M.D. from Wayne State University in Detroit.  He married his high school sweetheart, Sandra Jane Rop, in 1954.  After completing medical school he and Sandra and three young children spent a year at Rehoboth, NM as a medical missionary to the Navajo Indians.  They moved to Wheaton in 1962 where he joined Wheaton Medical Clinic.

He served on the founding board of Central DuPage Hospital, where he then held a number of positions on the executive medical staff from the time Central Du Page Hospital opened until his retirement in 1996.  Demonstrating leadership in many areas, he served a term as president of the medical staff, served on the Board of Directors, and was also on the credentials committee, of which he was the chairman for a number of years.  He served on the peer review committee of the DuPage County Medical Society including several years as its chairman.  Desiring to ensure quality medical care with the next generation of physicians, he was active as a preceptor for senior medical students in family practice as Assistant Clinical Professor at Chicago Medical School. Because of the various hats worn during his tenure at CDH, his impact was - and still is - felt throughout the hospital and the community.

As a family practice physician for 35 years, he delivered approximately 1700 babies, and also later delivered the babies of some of those babies. He was known for his kindness and compassion and his commitment to his patients.

He was an avid golfer and member of St. Charles Country Club for 35 years.  He enjoyed wood working and made Adirondack chairs for numerous charity auctions and events. He has spent winters in Naples, Florida since 1997, where he enjoyed golfing and sunsets over the water.

He was a longtime member of Wheaton Christian Reformed Church where he served as a deacon and consistory member.  After Sandra's passing in 1999, he married Joyce Vander Molen in 2005 and recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary with family.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce Vander Molen, three children, Cathy (Paul Kasicki) Lussiana of Atlanta, GA and Montrose, CO, James A. Cook, Jr. of Portland, OR., and Dr. Robert C. (Kim) Cook of St. Charles; eight grandchildren, Cy, Erin, Kelly, Eli, Jennifer, Caitlin, Molly, and Benjamin; seven great-grandchildren, and one sister, Thelma Bergman of Muskegon, MI.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra, his parents, three brothers ,Edward, Herman, and Thomas and one sister (Barbara Spoelman).

A visitation will be held on Friday, October 7, 2016 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 8, at 10:00 a.m. at Wheaton Christian Reformed Church, 711  E. Harrison St.,  Wheaton.  Private interment will be held at Union Cemetery in St. Charles.

It is requested that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to Outreach Community Ministries ,  122  W. Liberty Drive,  Wheaton, Illinois  60187 or Wheaton Christian Reformed Church .   Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.