This Old House is an American home improvement show on PBS and documents house remodelling projects over weekly episodes.
The show has several contractors and experts who handle the renovations from start to finish. Roger Cook was one of the longstanding land contractors, working on the PBS show for nearly 40 years.
Life and Times of Roger Cook
Roger was born in 1954 in Biddeford, Maine, and had an avid interest and love for the outdoors. His interest eventually led him to pursue a wildlife management and conservation law degree from the University of Maine.
Together with his late wife, Kathleen Cook, they founded K&R Landscape, which focuses on plants and hardscape.
This Old House Debut
Cook made his debut on This Old House in 1982. At the time, he was the landscape foreman for the Frost and Higgins Company, which the show producers had contracted.
However, in 1988, Roger was hired full-time as the landscape contractor during season 10 of This Old House.
When Ask This Old House began airing in 2002, Roger was among the experts who offered homeowners advice.
In a statement from This Old House, Cook was praised and remembered for his expertise and easygoing manner. In 2022, he received an Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement for his work on the show.
Illness and Death
After a long time on the show, Roger decided to step back from a full-time role. He cited health reasons for his decision to take a break from filming and eventually exited altogether in 2020.
Neither the family nor the show revealed what illness plagued Cook. All that was shared was he was surrounded by his family and caregivers who ensured he had the love and support he needed.
Roger Cook passed away on August 21, 2024, succumbing to a long illness. In honour of his legacy and passion for helping others, his family set up a fundraiser to continue his charitable ways and conservation projects.
He will forever be remembered for his great insights into landscaping and his demeanour, which remained unchanged even with his fame.