John Whitten Cook

John Whitten Cook departed this life at Baptist Integris Hospital in Oklahoma City on October 26, 2025. John was born in Oklahoma City July 24, 1969, attending Casady and Bishop McGuiness, graduating in 1988. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1994.

He is survived by his parents, David and Toni (Cooksey) Cook; brother Andrew and Michelle Cook; nieces Madelyn Cook and Harper Cook; and nephew Colton Cook.

John was preceded in death by his brother, William Christopher Cook, paternal grandparents, David M. Cook and Mary Jean (Carver) Cook and maternal grandparents, Howell R. Cooksey and Bobbye (Lancaster) Cooksey.

John was outgoing and creative, attracting an array of friends who describe him as “always present, always positive, always smiling, and (almost) always laughing…a consistent bright spot and uniquely positive presence” in their lives. He was gifted in various arts, talented in illustration, creative writing and possessed a notable gift for music.

As a teen his guitar teacher nicknamed him Jammin’ John and he developed skills that echoed two of his primary influences, Johnny Ramone and Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. He practiced his craft on guitar and bass in Oklahoma area bands including Zulu King and Funky Thrash D. His love of different styles of pop culture, movies, science fiction and rock and roll, including classic rock, punk, new wave and alternative, showed in his own playing and writing.

For several years John lived in Hollywood, writing, making music with his band Pigasus, providing script coverage for production houses and working in a Beverly Hills art gallery. His California friends knew him as Robot John, a nickname drawn from the 1950s science fiction film classic Forbidden Planet. Robot John was his alter ego, but his celebrity double was an uncanny resemblance to 1940s Best Actor-winner Broderick Crawford. He loved to share the creative process with friends. Many of his witty bulletins to friends or on social media were signed “Robot Out”.

John worked as a computer technician and researched land records in Oklahoma, and in California and Texas as a film archivist, writer, and video game quality assessor.

He was a Thunder and Sooner sports fan, a talented photographer, and enjoyed days spent at the family farm with brothers William and Drew, riding their ATVs through the pasture.

John’s memory will be forever cherished by his family and particularly by his niece and best friend, Harper.

The Cook family is grateful for the tender care of the staff at Baptist Integris, Integrity Senior Care staff Barbara Booker, Jerrod Booker, Jessica Booker and Cory Booker, as well as the outpouring of love and support from family and friends.

Graveside rites will be held Friday, November 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Rose Hill Cemetery. In honor of John’s memory, the family requests donations be made to: Chisholm Elementary School Music & Art Education/Programing. Contributions may be sent to: Chisholm Elementary School C/O Tammy Unruh 2300 E. 33rd Street Edmond, OK 73013.