Joseph Cook Jr.
Joseph Cook Jr., known to many simply as Joe, no last name needed as everyone knew who you were referring to, will be retiring from the Arboretum and Landscape Services division of Facilities Management in December, 2022. Joe has been a valuable member of the campus community for many years, starting in September 1971, when he started working for 5 years for the Research Greenhouses as a part time student employee, before he graduated with a degree in horticulture. Joe received a partial scholarship and participated in a work study program. Joe is currently a manager in the Arboretum and Landscape Services division of Facilities Management.
After Joe graduated from the University of Maryland, he started full time on May 17, 1976, as a groundskeeper for the University of Maryland Grounds Department, which was part of the Physical Plant at that time. Facilities Management did not exist yet. His first day was memorable to him as he spent the day on his knees pulling weeds in a landscape bed in front of Denton Dining Hall. By the end of the week, his feet were throbbing and he could barely walk as he had purchased some cheap dime store boots that were made out of plastic. His supervisor 'Duke' told him 'Son, let me tell you something. The most important thing you can have is a good pair of boots as you have to walk a lot.' Joe went out and bought himself a good pair of construction boots. Later, 'Duke' would go on to be a mentor and like a father to Joe.
Joe's time as a student employee spent in the greenhouse is where he got introduced to horticulture. Originally, his major was as a landscape architecture student. Tom Blessington, the manager of the greenhouse, taught Joe a lot. Joe met a lot of the horticulture professors through working at the greenhouse. He became in charge of weekend watering in his second year there and spent 16 hours each weekend taking care of his duties.
Soon after Joe started for Grounds, he became in charge of the mowing crew. As he was doing his duties around campus, one young lady in particular stood out and caught his attention. He kept running into her a number of times across campus. Joe eventually stopped his mower and asked her what her name was and got her telephone number. They were casual friends for a period of time as she had a boyfriend at the time. Eventually, Joe got a call from this young lady to attend a family gathering. Joe's early comment to a coworker, before that he even met this young lady turned out to be prophetic. He told his coworker 'James, I am going to marry that girl one day.'
The first version of the giant floral M in the center of a roundabout on Campus Drive had just been completed when Joe arrived and he helped with the planting of it.
Joe is the young man in the lower right with the big smile!
Joe is in the upper part of the photo and is the gentleman standing in the lowest part of the V on top of the M.
Joe chose by fate almost the same location in respect to the M that he chose in the group photo taken some 40 years earlier.
In the fall of 1979, Joe helped plant 300 oaks about 2 inch caliper (12-14 feet tall) on campus. Morris Landes (Peewee) used a Gradall excavator to dig the holes. Joe was on the backfill crew. They removed the top part of both the burlap and wire basket before filling in the hole. They made a watering saucer before another crew came along to stake the trees. Many of those oak trees were used in the allees of Willow Oaks planted on either side of the upper half of McKeldin Mall, the half closest to McKeldin Library. The lower half of McKeldin Mall, the half closest to the Administration Building had been planted much earlier and already had well established Willow Oaks growing there. Joe was part of a very well coordinated and efficient team and Joe is rightly still very proud of being part of this project.
This is one of the first trees that Joe planted on the above mentioned project on the upper part of McKeldin Mall. The trees on either side of the sidewalk in the above photo that seem to march off into infinity on the left were all planted by Joe.
Above is a size comparison of Joe and one of those Willow Oak trees he planted in the fall of 1979.
Joe also helped plant the Columnar English Oak trees in front of the Chemical & Nuclear Engineering Building. They were a lot smaller when he planted them!
When Joe first started working for Grounds, it was located in the basement of the Service Building under Work Control, now known as the Customer Service Center on the east side of US 1 highway. There were two ramps at one time to access this area. The head of Grounds was Charles Kehoe, the brother of the Athletic Director, James Kehoe.
Joe is thankful to mentors such as Jerome Sellers (Duke), the manager of the North side of campus, Dick White, James Adams, the top tree guy and Tom Blessington from the Research Greenhouses. Duke became a good friend over 25 years and taught Joe patience, vision, tree identification and how to plant them. Every experience that Joe had at the university taught him something.
Joe mentioned that he met a lot of people over the years at the University of Maryland and made a lot of friendships. He really enjoyed his time here and likes the fact he was able to work in an educational environment.
Joe cleaning up the snow in parking lot CC by the Manufacturing Building on Regents Drive an unknown number of years ago. unknown photographer
The above photo is of Joe engaged in some well mannered frivolity, dancing, in his younger years at a Physical Plant (the precursor to Facilities Management) catered Christmas/holiday party in the South Dining Hall. Beer was served by the university at this time at the party; however, Joe does not drink and did not need any beer to loosen up and have fun! The two ladies in the background were timekeepers from payroll. One of them was Sue Elliot. It was a much smaller group at that point in time and had more of a family touch as people knew each other much better. unknown photographer
The above photo is of, from left to right, President William E. Kirwan; Joseph Cook, Jr.; and Frank Brewer at an award ceremony where Joe was the recipient of an award. unknown photographer
The above photo is of, from left to right, President C.D. 'Dan' Mote, Jr.; Joseph Cook, Jr.; and Harry Teabout, Sr. at an award ceremony where Joe was the recipient of an award. unknown photographer
The above photo is of, from left to right, Joseph Cook, Jr. and Harry Teabout, Sr. at an award ceremony where Joe was the recipient of an award. unknown photographer
The above photo was taken on Maryland Day, 2022. President Pines stopped by to thank the group for their hard work. Left to right: President Darryll J. Pines; Joseph Cook, Jr.; Clifton Sutton, Marcus Lisier and Edward F. Williams, Jr. unknown photographer
Joe Cook has known Edward F. William, Jr., an assistant manager with Arboretum and Landscape Services from the time that Ed was still a kid. They have worked together over 35 years. 'In all of those 35 years, you couldn't have asked for a better person to work for than Joe Cook according to Ed. He stated that Joe has always been a laid back supervisor and very personable. According to Ed, Joe has always had an interest in planting trees.
In 1988, there was a Veterans Day storm with high winds that took down many trees around campus and left trees and limbs covering roads and walks. Ed said that Joe gave him and others a quick crash course in driving John Deere tractors so they could clear the roads and sidewalks.
Joe taught Ed how to plant balled and burlapped trees. The first trees that Ed planted were 3 Crabapples along Campus Drive in the Hornbake Plaza area. Those 3 Crabapples turned out to be Apple trees.
Joe helped Ed look at things from a different angle. Joe taught Ed how to be a true manager, how to manage people. He told Ed 'Don't be afraid to give people assignments!' Joe taught Ed how to manage on an even keel. Ed is grateful for having someone like Joe mentor him.
Richard Jones, our campus arborist, stated that 'Joe has always been very calm and in good humor. He has been a great living history resource. He can point out things that no longer exist on campus.'
This closeup photo of Joe was taken at the main gate to the University off of US1 Highway, often referred to as North Gate. I wanted to cut the adjacent tree down so there would not be tree shadows on Joe's face; however, the campus arborist would not let me do that.
Above is a photo of Joe's family including his wife Turnetta on the sofa, children and grandchildren. Joe stated 'Who would have thought that while creating a beautiful landscape for the University of Maryland that he would meet a young lady that would later become his wife and together they would create a beautiful landscape for life.'
We are very grateful for Joe's hard work, wisdom and humor over the years! He has earned a wonderful retirement. Thank you Joe!
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