Salvation Army's 'Gold Coin Man'

The man she knew as the anonymous donor who beginning in 2009 dropped a gold coin in the red Salvation Army kettle at the Fred Meyer in Wandermere was being eulogized. Geraghty, a former spokeswoman for the organization in Spokane, didn't know how many other people knew Cooke's holiday ritual, including the rest of his family.

Section:Gallery

Sun., Dec. 19, 2021

This Liberty Eagle gold piece was dropped into Salvation Army volunteer's Ted Morris' kettle at the Wandermere Fred Meyer store in 2009. Bill Cook is the person who donated the coin.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Bill Cooke as seen in a 2012 photo, left, and him as a firefighter in 1958. Cooke dropped a valuable gold coin into a Salvation Army kettle for many years while few knew his identity.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Bill Cook as seen in a 2012 photo, would drops valuable gold coin into a Salvation Army kettle for many years without hardly anyone knowing his identity.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Sheila Geraghty holds a 2012 photograph of Bill Cook next to his Spokane Fire Department shadow box. Cook would drop a valuable gold coin into a Salvation Army kettle for many years with only Geraghty knowing his identity.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo