Peter Cook was born in Grand Rapids in 1914. He grew up relatively poor, enlisted in the army after graduating high school and worked for less than a dollar an hour on an assembly line. He went to college and studied business and became an accountant. He made his fortune selling imported cars beginning in the 70s.
Peter and his wife Pat have given untold millions to universities, hospitals and charitable organizations in Grand Rapids and Holland. He told the Grand Rapids Press they’d never use all their money and enjoyed giving it away.
He passed away Sunday at a Grand Rapids hospital. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
