A Clemson Legend: Yes, Joe, sometimes it's the little things

Joe Cocke was loved by many and admired by thousands.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Nov 04 20:16:24 GMT-04:00 2021

Yes, Joe, sometimes it’s the little things.

A little thing like when a living legend decides to join TigerNet so he can make posts on the board, and that one little decision turns into a big thing for the thousands of readers who read his posts, who smiled at his humor, who shed tears at his patriotism, and stood in awe at his exploits.

Yes, the legendary Joe Cocke has moved on to his next assignment, leaving those of here with the memories of a friend – whether we met him or not we considered him a friend - not lost but one who has simply moved on to his next big thing.

Joseph (Joe) Baird Cocke, known as Joe21 on TigerNet, husband of the late Mary Lynn Donnally Cocke, passed away on November 3, 2021. Joe, as we all knew him, spent the final years of his life in Clemson Downs, in the shadow of the stadium where he cheered and in the shadow of the school that he and Mary Lynn learned to love. And when Joe took his final earthly breath, he did it in the same place where the love of his life said goodbye eight years ago.

Joe’s last post on TigerNet, dated three weeks ago, was titled, “Sometimes it’s the little things” and said this:

Sometimes it’s the little things in our lives that bring the greatest joy. For example, have you ever had an itch in the middle of your back and were finally able to reach it and give it a scratching it deserved? Ah, what a wonderful feeling!!!! And then we do something that causes us to have a cut that eventually is covered with a scab. We awaken one morning and the scab is gone. What a relief. Now we can stop checking that scab every hour. Have you ever started to sneeze and for some reason the urge to sneeze vanishes? Wait a couple of moments and you will relish the sound and feel of that monster. You will feel like you just created a tornado.

We have become so involved with the big picture we don't realize the momentary and fleeting joy we derive from simple things in our lives. Your next itch is on me. Enjoy that scratch !!!!!

That was Joe. Always looking for the bright side, always looking to make someone’s day better. As a history buff, I couldn’t wait to read Joe’s exploits in Korea and during WWII. He put you there with him, whether it was in a Jeep or in front of an officer or standing guard. He was that kind of storyteller.

His daughter, Linda, told me Thursday evening, “He had a way of connecting with people. We didn’t always realize it, but he did. He had a way with people.”

That he did.

For those of you who don’t know the history of Joe, this is taken from his obituary.

Born in 1921, in Bell, FL, he was the son of the late William Catesby and Almira Catherine Bloom Cocke. At an early age he moved with his family to Alachua, FL where he attended the public schools. He was a graduate of the University of Florida and Clemson University. During World War II, the Army sent him to Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie/Mellon) in Pittsburgh, PA to participate in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP).

He was an Agricultural Engineer employed by the US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service in Stoneville, MS, Belle Glade, FL and Clemson, SC. In Clemson he was associated with the Southeastern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory and the Cotton Quality Research Station. Following his retirement, he was associated with Fort/AIC Consultants and served as a consultant to the Cotton Export Corporation in Pakistan. He was formerly a member of The American Society of Agricultural Engineers and a member of Alpha Zeta and Gamma Sigma Delta honorary fraternities.

He was a veteran of both WW II and the Korean War, serving in Europe with the 3125th. Signal Service Company and in Korea with the 205th. Signal Repair Company. In early 1951 he was assigned to a Combat Engineering Company for a three-month special mission. He was a Life Member of American Legion Post No. 3 in Greenville, SC, and a member of the Korean War Veterans Association, Chapter 301, Greenville, SC.

He was a Life Member of the Clemson Lions Club and was a member of the Leland, MS and Belle Glade, FL Lions Clubs before moving to Clemson. He served the Clemson Lions Club in many capacities, including President. He was the District Governor of District 32-A in 1967-68, Chairman of the State Council of Governors, President of the South Carolina Lions Sight Conservation Association, a member of the South Carolina Lions Hall of Fame and a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow. In 2002, he was the recipient of Lions International's highest award, The Ambassador of Good Will.

A long-time member of Clemson United Methodist Church, he served the church in many capacities but his greatest joy was serving as one of the greeters. Getting a "high five" or a "low five" from the small children was truly "pennies from heaven". He was a volunteer at Clemson Community Care for many years.

Among his hobbies were writing stories and scratching the surface of genealogy. His stories were the result of his grandchildren suggesting he write stories about his childhood and his service during WW II and the Korean War. In 1995 and 2000 he served as Chairman of the Cocke-Catesby Reunion in Williamsburg, VA.

A long-time member of IPTAY, he missed very few Tiger home football games since 1955, sitting in the same seat since 1957. He was the color commentator for the first broadcast of a Tiger basketball game in the old Fike Field house. Known by many as "The Tiger Paw Man", he always carried a large supply of Tiger Paws on his visits to many parts of the world.

I called Joe a few years ago and we talked about a lot of topics, just trying to catch up and a promise was made to catch up over a meal in the near future. Then life intervened, and I was hoping to catch up with him in a few weeks at his 100th birthday celebration at the Madren Center. Instead of celebrating his birthday here with us, he will spend it celebrating with the love of his life, Mary Lynn, and I’m sure he’s already regaling her with stories.

We throw the term “legend” around all too often, and we use it for those who don’t really deserve that tag. Joe deserves that tag. When he moved to Clemson in 1955, one of the first people he ran into was Frank Howard. What followed was the same seats in Memorial Stadium for decades, giving out Tiger paw stickers to children and people around the world, and a love affair with a school and sports programs that they loved and loved them back.

Joe had a way of drawing you in with that slow Southern drawl, an accent of a time gone by, but that lovely drawl belied a sharp mind and intellect. Joe had a keen sense of people and time, and he used it to make everyone around him feel comfortable.

We’ve lost our legend, but life will go on. The good news is that Joe was close to publishing his memoirs, and it hopefully won’t be long until we all have Joe’s stories that we can read. We can once again sit at his knee and learn the lessons of the past. For those who want to send the family a card and perhaps a memory of Joe, you can send that to 602 Downs Loop, Clemson, SC, 29631.

Rest easy, Tiger Paw Man. Our boards and our lives will never be the same. Thank you for your service to our country, but most of all, thank you for being you. We will miss you.