William Henry Cook Jr., 49, of Sedro-Woolley, Washington, passed away on Saturday, January 17, 2026, from complications described as "Failure to Thrive," following a 30-year battle with severe mental illness. His passing marks the end of a long, unfair, and lonely struggle that deeply affected both him and those who loved him.

William known affectionately as Willy was born on November 22, 1976, at the U.S. Marine Corps Base in 29 Palms, California. As a baby and young boy, Willy was happy, sweet, and cuddly, often quietly humming or singing to himself as he played. He was well liked, gentle in spirit, and remembered for his warmth, good manners, and wonderful sense of humor.

Willy grew up in Sedro-Woolley and attended Sedro-Woolley High School, where he participated in FFA. He was mechanical by nature and loved working hard and playing hard on the farm. Shortly after graduating high school, Willy proudly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he became a sharpshooter and attained the rank of Lance Corporal. He was proud of his service and his identity as a Marine.

Like many young men, Willy enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, motorcycles, and the outdoors. He was known as a thoughtful gift-giver and a genuinely pleasant person to be around.

In early adulthood, Willy experienced a severe mental health crisis and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. This diagnosis marked the beginning of a decades-long struggle not only with illness, but with a fragmented and inadequate mental health system. Despite his intelligence, kindness, and desire for stability, Willy faced repeated barriers to consistent, compassionate, and effective care. His family fought relentlessly to advocate for him, navigating a system that too often left them powerless, unheard, and without meaningful options.

Though deeply loved, Willy was frequently isolated from family gatherings, relationships, and opportunities not by choice, but by circumstance and systemic neglect. His illness, untreated and undertreated at critical moments, slowly eroded his quality of life. What he endured was not inevitable; it was the result of a society that continues to fail those living with severe mental illness.

Willy's life ended quietly, the result of a heart and body worn down by years of struggle. His family grieves not only his death, but the life he should have been able to live one with dignity, stability, connection, and proper care. His story is a painful reminder that severe mental illness is not a moral failing or a noted footnote, but a public health crisis demanding accountability, resources, and reform.

Willy is survived by his parents, Dolores (Olson) Holtcamp and Tom Holtcamp of Sedro-Woolley; siblings, Jenny Sandbo-Taylor (Husband Jim), Andrew O. (Savannah) Cook, Clinton (Collyn) Holtcamp; and nieces and nephews, Ryan (Virginia Lopez) Sandbo, Caroline Sandbo; Elsie and Waylon Cook, Konner and Hardy Holtcamp; aunts and uncles, Sylvia/Robert Olson, Suzanne Cheadle, Genora/Paul Powell, and many cousins.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Elsie and Earl Olson, Jacqueline and William Cook.

Willy was deeply loved. His family grieves both his loss and the suffering his illness caused, and they hope his life and story encourage greater compassion, understanding, and meaningful improvements in care for those living with severe mental illness.

A Graveside Service will be held at 1:00, on Monday, February 2, 2026 at Greenhills Memorial Cemetery, Burlington, WA, with Military Honors.

Share your memories of Willy and sign the online guest register.