Justin Elias Cook Obituary (2025)

Justin Elias Cook, 35, died February 26th, 2025, in Ellensburg, Washington. Justin was born August 2nd, 1989, in Houston Texas. Impacting lives with his charisma and charm, Justin Elias Cook moved through this life with passion and determination. He was a kind soul who sought to treat everyone with kindness and respect. He was an eager worker, an intense listener, political activist, and enthusiastic storyteller. He loved fiercely and cared deeply for those he was close to. Justin fought hard for marginalized communities facing systemic discrimination, experience social, economic, and political exclusion based on characteristics like race, ethnicity, gender, or disability LGBTQ+ individuals People with disabilities leading to limited opportunities and unequal treatment. Justin took a specific interest in the homeless, indigenous people, and disabled. Justin was an intellectual person who loved to read, travel, game, and cook. His love of cooking started at an early age with his mother. He would spend hours working alongside her, learning various international cuisines. Justin was not afraid to voice his opinion through spirited debates. He would tell you how it was regardless of what accolades you may or may not have. An only child growing up in Houston, Texas, Justin fell in love with the outdoors through gardening and hiking with his grandmother - a passion that would evolve through the years. His love of nature took many forms: from sheep herding on the Navajo Nation to trail building in the Grand Canyon to teaching at an outdoor school near Ellensburg, Washington. Justin also loved animals and had a soft spot for cats. He enjoyed feeding the neighborhood cats that came to his door. Justin moved on from this world on Wednesday, February 26th, 2025 after fighting with declining health for several years. Even as his health suffered, he still found the strength to inspire and change people's lives - whether it was through sharing his experiences in cooking, knowledge of various cultures, or art and music. Often, if he knew someone was dealing with an issue, he would go out of his way to find sources of information to help them make educated decisions. He was selfless, stubbornly determined, and a joy to those around him. Justin was preceded in death by his aunt, Jasmine Gunter and survived by his mother, Gina Gunter, step-father, Yousef Salem, and his grandmother, Amy Gunter. He was beloved and will be greatly missed by all who knew. Please join us for a Celebration of Life for Justin Cook from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm on Sunday, May 4th 2025 at the Discovery Lab at 201 N. Pearl St. Ellensburg, WA. This is a gathering of friends woven together by Justin. We come together in a relaxed setting to eat, share stories, memories, laughter and possibly some tears as we honor Justin. We will have a potluck luncheon, so feel free to bring a dish of something that reminds you of Justin, maybe something that he taught you to make or something he'd have liked.