Larry "Sam" Cook, born July 31, 1951, passed away on June 27,2026, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was a beloved husband, stepfather, grandfather, great grandfather of seven, brother, uncle, teacher, coach, sportswriter, and editor whose life touched many in the Sanford community and beyond.
Sam graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in Journalism. Sam began his career at Sanford Naval Academy as an English teacher, baseball coach, worked as a maintenance field man at Sanford Memorial Stadium and West Rinker Baseball Academy. He went on to teach English at Lake Howell High School and Crooms Ninth Grade Center, where he also coached basketball and inspired countless young athletes and students with his easy humor, steady presence and love of the game.
After the classroom, Sam found his calling in journalism. He served as a treasured sports editor for the Sanford Herald and later joined and retired from the News-Press Fort Myers as sportswriter and then as an award-winning local columnist. While working at the News-Press, Sam did an internship at USA Today in Washington D.C. His writing celebrated local teams and athletes with warmth, fairness and an infectious passion for sports. After retiring, he and his wife Gayle moved to New Smyrna Beach where they owned their dream house and spent many hours looking at the sunrise, watching the beach waves roll in.
A lifelong New York Yankees fan, Sam always had a player or game story, or an anecdote ready for friends and readers alike.
Sam is survived by his wife of 38 years, Gayle Mona Cook; stepchildren Tisha Tipton Futrell, Carlton R. Tipton, and Tammy Tipton Uliano; six cherished grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; his sister and brother-in-law, Jane Cook Youngman, and Jeff Youngman of Chicago, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his sister Judy Bess Adams. He will be remembered for his generosity, good-natured humor, mentorship, and unwavering devotion to family and community.
Arrangements are with Baldwin Oaklawn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Sanford Little League, Sanford Youth Football Association; [email protected], or the Seminole High School Booster Club, [email protected], in Sam's memory.
A warm-hearted man of the community, Sam's voice—on the page, on the sidelines, and in life—will be deeply missed.
