This Old House Star Passes Away at 70 After Long Illness

Roger Cook, the skilled landscaper renowned for his role on PBS’s home renovation series This Old House over almost 40 years, has passed away at age 70. His death was confirmed on the show’s official website.

“With tremendous sadness, This Old House bids farewell to our friend and longtime landscape contractor, Roger Cook, who passed away on August 21, 2024 after a long battle with illness,” a press release stated.

Cook first featured on the show during its second season in 1982 and later became the full-time landscape contractor from season 10 in 1988. The long-standing series, gearing up for its 46th season in September, involves a team of experts renovating homes.

He also joined the spin-off series Ask This Old House when it premiered in 2002. This show focused on do-it-yourself projects and addressed remodeling queries from viewers.

Roger appeared on both series for years before officially leaving the franchise in 2020 due to health issues.

“I remember every lesson from Roger,” said This Old House executive producer Chris Wolfe. “More importantly, there are millions of people whose lives have been enriched by everything Roger taught them.”

Colleagues remembered him as a “gentle giant,” “big-hearted,” and “America’s landscape legend.”

Born in 1954, Roger grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts. He graduated from the University of Maine in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in wildlife management and conservation law. Later, he returned to Massachusetts to become a certified landscape contractor.

In 1982, Roger and his wife Kathleen established their own landscaping firm, K&R Landscape, focusing on plants and hardscaping.

“Dad spent his entire life helping people – friends, family, and customers. One of the biggest regrets with his illness was that he could no longer help people in the same way,” said his son Jason in a statement. “With that in mind, Dad asked us to set up a family foundation so we can continue his legacy as a helper going forward.”

The Cook Family Giving Fund, supporting wildlife and land conservation, medical research, childhood education, and military veterans, was established for this purpose.

Roger was preceded in death by his wife Kathleen, who passed away from cancer in 2010. He is survived by his son Jason, daughter Molly, brother Greg, daughter-in-law Anna, and three grandsons: Peter, Noah, and James.

Source: Metro-West Daily News, PBS