A00108 - Mercer Cook III, Amherst College Class of 1951, Dunbar High School Graduate, Career Public Servant, and Member of Cook Family Connection to Amherst College

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

COOK

/

MERCER COOK

MERCER COOK

1930 - 2019

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Contact

Nickname

• Merce

Family

Amherst Relatives

• Vashti Cook W1925, P'51,'67, G'82 (d)
• Edwina Cook W'51, P'82
• W. Mercer Cook 1925, H'65, P'51,'67, G'82,'12 (d)
• Jacques H. Cook '67, P'12
• Janice Cook Roberts '82
• Ariana L. Hull '12
• Avery Cook '26

Personal

No data available

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Professional

Employment Information

Former

• Dep State Atty

  Cook County

  Start:

  01/1966

  End:

  01/1994
• Attorney

  Self Employed

  Start:

  01/1960

  End:

  01/1966
• Attorney

  Self Employed

  Start:

  01/1960

  End:

  10/2013

Industry Information

Former

• Education/Academia: Subject: Law/Judiciary
• Government: State
• Law/Legal Services
• Law/Legal Services: Attorney

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Amherst

Reunion Class

• 1951

Graduation Year

• 1951

Major(s)

• French

Other Academic

Secondary Schools

• Dunbar High School

Higher Ed

• The University of Chicago Law School

  Field of Study:

  Law

  Degree:

  Doctor of Jurisprudence

  Year:

  1956
• University of Paris

  Field of Study:

  International Relations

  Degree:

  Certificate

  Year:

  1953

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Amherst

Fraternity

• Lord Jeff Club

Post-Graduate

Community/ Professional Activities

• Illinois State Bar Association

  Role:

  Member

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

In Memory

Mercer Cook passed away Jan. 5. After Amherst, Mercer was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study international relations at the Instituts d’Études Politiques in Paris. Thereafter he took up residence in Chicago in 1953, received his law degree from the University of Chicago in 1956, joined the Illinois Bar and spent 10 years in the private practice of law.

The balance of Mercer’s career was devoted to public service, including working for the Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the state’s attorney’s office, where he held the position of deputy state’s attorney until his retirement in 1993.

He was an expert on city land acquisitions and a seasoned courtroom attorney. In 1993 Mercer participated in the founding of the National Black Prosecutors Association, an organization dedicated, through scholarship programs and public forums, to promoting the advancement of Blacks as prosecutors for state and local governments.

Mercer recalled that being at Amherst was a wonderful experience. Both history professor Dwight Salmon, for whom he graded examinations, and Geoffrey Atkinson, his honors professor with whom he met three times a week one on one, provided him with stimulating learning experiences.

Aside from work, Mercer was an avid reader and a golf enthusiast.

As writer of this piece, I recall I always enjoyed my five or so phone visits with Mercer during my 13 years as class secretary or co-secretary. We shared similar golf round experiences! He is survived by his wife, and by three of his four children from his first marriage.

Everett E. Clark ’51

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

MERCER COOK Obituary

MERCER COOK, SR.  
Mercer Cook, Sr., 88, born May 31, 1930 in Washington, DC, passed away on January 5, 2019. Mercer was a graduate of Dunbar high school in Washington DC, class of 1947, earned a BA from Amherst College, class of 1951, and received a JD from the University of Chicago in 1956. After college, Mercer was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris.Mercer was a member of the Illinois Bar. Over the course of his public service career, he worked for the Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, and the State's Attorney's Office, where he held the position of Deputy State's Attorney until his retirement in 1993. He was expert on city land acquisitions and a seasoned courtroom attorney. Mercer participated in the founding of the National Black Prosecutors Association in 1983 that is dedicated, through scholarship programs and public forums, to promoting the advancement of Blacks as prosecutors for state and local governments. Mercer was an avid reader and golf enthusiast. His laugh, quick wit and sense of humor could enliven any gathering.Mercer is survived by his beloved wife Edwina Tomlin and his brother Jacques Cook. He has three accomplished children from his first marriage to Ann Dibble Jordan: Antoinette (Toni) Bush, Janice Rochon Roberts and Mercer Jr; and seven grandchildren: Avery N. Cook Mercer R. Cook, Shelbie J. Cook, Dwight L. Bush Jr., Jacqueline D. Bush, Antoinette D. Roberts, and Richard T. Roberts.Memorial Visitation on Saturday, January 19, 2019 from 2 to 4 p.m.at Unity Funeral Parlors, Inc., 4114 S Michigan Ave.,Chicago, IL 60653. 773-624-2703

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Washington Post on Jan. 17, 2019.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888