He moved to
California expecting to retire in 1894, but returned and became Bank of Hawaii president in September 1898 after the death of Jones. In 1899 he also became president of
C. Brewer & Co., another of the
Big Five (Hawaii).[5]Bernice Pauahi Bishop appointed him as one of the first trustees of the
Kamehameha Schools, known then as the Bishop Estate. He served on its board from 1884 to 1897.[6]
In 1904 he founded the
Waikiki Aquarium,[7] and in 1909 donated funds for the library at Punahou School. He kept his businesses intact through the
Panic of 1907.[2]
William Harrison Rice Cooke (namesake of his father-in-law
William Harrison Rice) was born in 1878 but died young in 1880.
George Paul Cooke was born December 2, 1881, married Sophie Boyd Judd (1883–1966), granddaughter of missionary
Gerrit P. Judd, they had eight children, one of their sons was musician
Francis Judd Cooke (1910–1995).[8] He died in 1960. Their great-grandson was baseball player
Steve Cooke (Stephen Montague Cooke III).[9]
Richard Alexander Cooke was born January 24, 1884, married Dagmar Sorenseon in 1907, was executive at Bank of Hawaii and C. Brewer, and died in 1941. Their daughter-in-law Lorraine (Day) Cooke founded
La Pietra school for girls.
Theodore Atherton Cooke (1891–1973) married Muriel Elizabeth Howatt (1891–1969).
Dorothea Cooke (twin of Theodore) was born August 23, 1891, but died young February 26, 1892.
He died August 27, 1909, after a second
stroke.[11] Most of the family is buried at the Mission Houses Cemetery near
Kawaiahaʻo Church.[12]
A house he had built on
Thomas Square in 1882 became the
Honolulu Museum of Art. Anna Rice Cooke also left 4500 pieces of artwork they had collected to the academy.[13]
His estate was incorporated as Charles M. Cooke, Ltd. in 1898, and dissolved and distributed to 58 shareholders in 1942. Some of the assets became the Charles M. and Anna C. Cooke Trust, which became a charitable foundation in 1971. In 1980, it became the Cooke Foundation. The Hawaii Community Foundation continues to administer grants.[14]
Josephine Sullivan (1926). Karl Clayton Leebrick (ed.). A history of C. Brewer & Company, limited: one hundred years in the Hawaiian Islands, 1826-1926. Walton Advertising & Printing Company.