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Roger Cook, 'This Old House' Star, Dies at 70

Roger Cook, 'This Old House' star and landscaping expert, died on Aug. 21 at 70 years old. Cook appeared on the PBS home renovation program from its second season in 1982 until 2020.

Throughout his tenure on This Old House, Cook employed phrases to help homeowners improve their homes and was extremely knowledgeable about plants. “You could ask Roger any question about any plant—which ones would survive shade, how to treat diseases, which perennials or annuals to choose, the best woody plants or deciduous trees for a certain backyard, even the Latin names for everything—and he knew it," Cook's longtime friend and co-owner of K&R Landscaping Fred Pendleton said. His obituary from Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home reads: "As an expression of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, please plant a tree in your local community to honor Roger’s lifelong environmental efforts."

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