John R. Cogdell Memorial Service
John Richard Cogdell, or “Papa John” as he was known in his later years, died on December 10, 2024. He was 88 years old. As he drew his last breath, he was surrounded by his three children - Amy, Thomas, and Christina - who were all holding hands and speaking words of love to him. Surely his wife Ann, who had died in 2017, was part of his heavenly welcoming committee.
Papa John did a wonderful job preparing for his death. In 2011, he wrote down his wishes regarding his burial and memorial. Here’s what he wrote about the memorial.
So … that is what we are going to do!
Here are the details:
Date: Saturday, March 1, 2025
Time: 10:00 A.M. (please arrive by 9:45)
RSVP: None required, just show up
Dress: Casual (wear a pocket protector in his honor, if you have one!)
Food: Potluck lunch to be held afterwards, with BBQ & beans provided as the main
Bring: A side, salad, dessert, or drink to share with others at lunch. (Also, if you possess a wooden pen that Papa John made - he gave these to many -, bring it and use it to sign the guest book.)
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/Set87YADUsU
More about Food!
It is well known that Papa John and Grannie Annie were excellent cooks. It is semi-well known that Papa John wrote a cookbook in the late 1980s, called Breads for Bruno.
Well, we have created a limited-edition memorial version of this cookbook, which will be available for purchase at the memorial service!
If you would are feeling bold and would like to honor Papa John’s baking heritage, make one of the four dessert recipes below for the potluck!
