cook was born in 1954 and grew up in Burlington Mass he was always passionate about the outdoors cook and his wife Kathleen founded k&r tree and Landscaping Company in 1982 growing it from a small operation in a trailer attached to a Jeep into a full-fledged Company still in business today 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 are 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 the landscaper joined This Old House as a contributor in 1982 when he was a private contractor and became part of the team several years later along with being a Mainstay on This Old House cook was a member of the Massachusetts arborist Association he served on the board of directors for New England grows and the association of landscape contractors of Massachusetts after nearly 40 years on the show cook stepped down due to health issues and when he considered leaving the program in 2018 he wrote some viewers may have noticed that I haven't been myself over the last season in fact I've been dealing with several health issues that have made performing on television more difficult as a result I've decided to reduce my role on This Old House and ask this old house so I can focus more time on my health and my family I may appear occasionally on our shows but you'll also see other Landscaping professionals helping with our many projects cook is survived by his son Roger Daughter Molly and three grandchildren he was predeceased by his wife Kathy in 2010 his obituary from Edward I Sullivan Funeral Home reads as an expression of sympathy in L of flowers please plant a tree in your local community to honor Rogers lifelong environmental efforts