Roger was born on June 23rd, 1946 and grew up in Nitro, West Virginia. He graduated from Nitro High School and went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Morehead State University. He attended and graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and earned his Funeral Director's and Embalmer's License in 1977.

Roger has been very involved in his community and throughout the state of West Virginia. Some of his efforts are as follows:

• Currently serving on the Policy Board of the National Funeral Directors Association
• Former President of the West Virginia Funeral Directors Association
• Former President of Preferred Funeral Directors International
• Board of Directors of the West Virginia Cemetery and Funeral Association
• Former Mayor of the Town of Cedar Grove, West Virginia
• Former Member of Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority
• Former Board Member of Cedar Grove Volunteer Department
• Former Board Member of the Upper Kanawha Valley Medical Center

Cooke Funeral Home and Crematorium in Nitro, West Virginia was founded in 1939 by Fred and Lillian Cooke to service the community and surrounding areas. Roger A. Cooke began a second location in Cedar Grove, West Virginia in 1985 and added a crematorium at the Nitro location in 2001.