My brother-in-law, LJ Cook is a classic “funny guy.” He has always loved joking around and making people laugh. He has been like that for as long as I’ve known him, which is over fifty years. I first met LJ when I was about 18 years old, and many was the time he left everyone in the room laughing about one funny comment or another. LJ is a tall man, standing 6’6″ tall, and that has good and bad thing for him over the years. I will never forget when my youngest daughter, Amy Royce was just about two years old, she was out in my father-in-law, her grandpa, Walt Schulenberg’s garage, as was LJ. He said something to her. LJ is the tallest one in the family, and because Amy is the shortest person in the family at a whopping 4’10” in adulthood, you can imagine how short she was at two. She was trying to look up at her Uncle LJ, and started backing up to see him, when she fell into a pan of oil that had been drained out of a car. Whether he was trying to be funny or not, that moment was one of the funniest in LJ history. We were all just shocked. Here was Amy in a white dress with little red hearts on it, sitting in a pan filled with black motor oil. Of course, it was totally unintentional, and LJ really felt bad, no one could stop laughing about it. Amy wasn’t hurt. She never had far to fall, so it wasn’t a hard landing. She was just as shocked as we were.

LJ was always pulling so prank. For a number of years, he was a Deputy Sheriff in Casper, Wyoming, and since his future brother-in-law, my husband, Bob Schulenberg was often out “driving the strip” which was the local pastime in those days and could often be seen going “just slightly” over the speed limit, the police in town had a tendency to keep an eye out for him. One deputy sheriff, LJ Cook, had one other reason to keep an eye out, in that he was dating Bob’s sister, who would later become LJ’s wife, Debbie Cook at the time. Debbie was probably what could be considered Bob’s “polar opposite” and really didn’t speed, so LJ couldn’t pick on her as easily…for speeding anyway. So, when he would see Bob out driving the strip, and miraculously not speeding, he would pull him over…full lights and sirens, of course…and always in the most public place possible. The whole thing was designed to bring the most embarrassment possible, and LJ usually hit his mark quite well. While getting pulled over by the police was not an unusual event for many teenagers, Bob included, it was nevertheless embarrassing when all your friends are driving by laughing about the fact that you were about to get a ticket. Little did they know that Deputy LJ simply wanted to tell his future brother-in-law hello. Hahahahaha!!

Those years are behind LJ now, because he is retired, and mostly likes to spend his time at home or camping in the Big Horn Mountains. He is a girl-dad with two daughters, Machelle Moore and Susan Griffith, as well as Grandpa to four grandkids, Weston Moore, Jala Satterwhite, Easton Moore, and Kaytlyn Griffith. LJ and Debbie are still going strong, and just celebrated their 49th anniversary. LJ has had w few health issues, and needed back surgery recently, but he is feeling pretty darned good for a man of 74 years. Today is LJ’s birthday. Happy birthday LJ!! Have a great day!! We love you!!