Who was Roger Cook? This Old House star dies aged 70 after prolonged illness

Roger Cook was an American landscaping expert who became popular for being featured on the PBS reality series This Old House. Cook recently passed away on August 21, 2024, at the age of 70. He was battling an illness for a long time which eventually led to his demise. The news was first announced to People magazine by Chris Wolfe, an executive producer of This Old House.

Cook appeared on the show for around 40 years and Wolfe shared another statement through the official website of the series. It reads:

"I remember every lesson from Roger. More importantly, there are millions of people whose lives have been enriched by everything Roger taught them."

Roger Cook's friend Fred Pendleton also expressed grief by praising the former's attraction towards plants. Pendleton stated that Cook knew everything about plants when questioned about the same and could even remember the Latin names of any plant.

K&R Landscape's co-owner Tom Pica paid tribute by saying that he learned a lot of things from Cook and added:

"He was one of the greatest people you want to know. He worked hard, and we often worked 10 hours a day, six days a week. He absolutely believed that if you were going to do something, you should do it properly, whatever it took."

Roger Cook's son Jason said that his father loved to help others and he was the one who requested the family members to launch a family foundation after witnessing that his illness stopped him from being there for everyone else. He also stated:

"Dad identified several areas he was passionate about what we intend to focus the foundation on – most importantly wildlife and land conservation, medical research, childhood education, and military veterans."

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Roger Cook was featured on This Old House for a long time: Career and other details explained

The Burlington, Massachusetts native gained recognition as the founder of K&R Tree and Landscaping Company. Apart from this, he was associated with the Massachusetts Arborist Association and was a president of the board of directors for organizations such as the Association of Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts.

He enrolled at the University of Maine and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management and conservation. He was employed at the Frost and Higgins Company as a landscape foreman when he came to This Old House.

Roger Cook's most popular project on the show was the renovation of Lexington Bed & Breakfast, which happened during the tenth season. He was even involved with other projects like the Bigelow Project and Woburn House as he continued appearing in multiple seasons.

As mentioned, he had a habit of giving any kind of advice to those who were attached to plants. Cook also elaborated on all the processes related to planting trees such as digging, compacting, leveling, and more. He later became a mentor at K&R Landscape and was additionally attracted to activities like saltwater fishing.

Back in June 2018, Roger addressed his health issues in a statement shared through the official website of This Old House. He said that his life has been "greatly enriched" due to the relationships he made throughout his career and that he would not make frequent appearances on the show for his health. He continued:

"I may appear occasionally on our shows, but you'll also see other landscaping professionals helping with our many projects."

Roger Cook additionally requested everyone to respect the family's privacy and that he is getting the best care. He eventually exited the show in 2020. Cook's survivors include his children Jason and Molly, brother Greg, daughter-in-law Anna, and three grandchildren Peter, Noah, and James.