Roger Cook, ‘This Old House’ landscaper, dies at 70

Roger A. Cook, owner of K&R Tree and Landscape Company in Burlington and longtime cast member of This Old House, passed away at 70 years old, following an extended illness on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. He was the loving husband of the late Kathleen E. (Gulde) Cook, with whom he had shared many wonderful years of marriage prior to her passing on December 1, 2010.

Roger was born in Biddeford, Maine, and was one of two sons born to Lucienne and Arthur Cook, Jr. His family lived in Woburn for some time, and then eventually settled down in Burlington. He graduated from Burlington High School with the Class of 1972, where he played varsity basketball and football. Throughout his education, he also worked part time and summers doing landscaping. He then went on to earn his Bachelor of Science in wildlife management and conservation law from the University of Maine. Roger started from humble beginnings, but no matter how much success came his way, his deeply rooted humility truly never changed. Roger founded K&R Tree and Landscaping in 1982 with his wife Kathy, which they owned and operated together for more than 40 years. He started with a jeep, a trailer, and a lawn mower, and worked tirelessly to build his business. They worked as a team, with Kathy covering the business details and Roger in the field focusing on plants and hardscape. They lived by example and believed in the beautiful comfort that a well-build landscape brings to a home.

Roger’s journey with This Old House began in 1982, when he first appeared on the series. At the time, he was working as the landscape foreman for the Frost and Higgins Company, but that didn’t stop him from contributing ideas and expertise to several This Old House projects. In 1988, earning his stripes with the Lexington Bed & Breakfast renovation, Cook became a full-time cast member on the show as its garden and landscape contractor. As a certified landscape contractor in Massachusetts, he was an active member of various organizations such as, the Massachusetts Arborist Association, New England Grows, serving as their president of the board of directors, and the Association of Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts. He also participated in commercials for “Dig Safe” for many years. One would think that being on television for almost four decades, receiving an Emmy Award for lifetime achievement in 2022, having over 30,000 Twitter followers and a Wikipedia page would go to a person’s head, but Roger always remained true to the person he was, kind, passionate, and always humble. He was the everyday guy next door who was always ready to help with a yard project, or coach his son and daughter’s basketball teams. He proudly stood on the sidelines for his children and grandsons’ sporting events, hung with childhood friends and neighbors, and enjoyed simple summer days at Cape Cod fishing and sitting on the beach. If he couldn’t be found supporting the ones he loved or his community, he could absolutely be found puttering around his own yard or garden. It’s these values that show why so many viewers appreciated his role on the series. He was down to earth, gave great advice, and never pretended to be someone he wasn’t. He was relatable and gave friends and viewers alike the confidence to tackle their own home projects, although they were likely on a bit smaller scale. 

Roger and his wife Kathy went to high school together but didn’t date until a little later after they graduated. They truly made a great team together. They both had businesses and raised their children in the same community they grew up in and worked hard to instill good values and work ethic in their children. At every turn in life, they continued to bring out the best in each other, and those around them. As a father, Roger wanted his children to have every opportunity, encouraged them to follow their passions, and was a constant reminder of placing your family first when life hands you hard decisions. He was unbelievably proud to become a “Papa,” and absolutely adored his three grandsons. The last years have been harder for Roger, dealing with the effects of his illness. He was a very proud man and did his best to keep his routine and family’s life as normal as could be. He never wanted to burden others, only help them. In the end, his children, daughter-in-law, extended family, friends, and caregivers rallied around him to give his final years love and dignity he deserved. Roger was an incredibly special man, and at the end of the day it was not for his achievements, but rather for how he lived his life and the devotion he had for his family and loved ones.

Roger is survived by his two loving children, Jason Roger Cook and his wife Anna of Boston, and Molly E. Cook of Medford; his three grandsons, Peter, Noah, and James; his brother, Greg A. Cook and his wife Jill of Thousand Oaks, CA; his siblings-in-law, John Gulde, Jr. and his wife Kathleen of Chelmsford, Cheryl Hansen and her husband Robert of Mashpee, Carol Cammon and her husband Fred of Winchester, Mary Biagiotti and her husband Richard of Burlington, as well as many other dear nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Roger was a son-in-law of the late John and Kathleen “Kay” Gulde.

Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, August 27th, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington. At the request of the family, all other services will be held privately. 

As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, please plant a tree in your local community to honor Roger’s lifelong environmental efforts.

This local obituary is published via Legacy.com and Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home. Want a loved one’s obituary featured on Boston.com? Submit your obituary here, or email it to [email protected].