Cooksley, Gilbert A. 1929-2012

COOKSLEY, STREIF, BUSCHMANN, DUNEMAN, TEKIPPE, RETH

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/16/2021 at 13:44:10

Gilbert A. Cooksley
March 19, 1929 - January 15, 2012
Earlville

Gilbert A. Cooksley, 82, of 2228 3 1 0 Ave, Earlville, Iowa, died Monday, January 16, 2012 at Shady Rest Care Center in Cascade, Iowa.

Friends and relatives of Gilbert may call from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday, January 19, 2012 at the Reiff Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa.

Private services for Gilbert A. Cooksley will held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 20, 2012 at the Reiff Funeral Home in Dyersville, Iowa, with Pastor Corby Johnson officiating. Burial will be held in Mount Hope Cemetery in Dyersville, Iowa, with Flag Presentation by the Dyersville American Legion-Post #137.

Gilbert was born on March 19, 1929 in Delaware County, Iowa, in the family home where his father, Albert and twin brother, Edward were also born. He was the son of Albert and Laura (Streif) Cooksley. He received his education in the rural Cooksley Country school.

Gilbert was a veteran having served from August 1951 to August 1953 with the U.S. Marine Corps in Korea. He received the Korean Service Medal 3 A and the United States Service Medal.

On April 24, 1954 he was united in marriage to Elaine Buschmann of Chicago, IL and raised 5 children. They were later divorced. He farmed in the rural Dyersville area his entire life on the family farm. Gilbert was a life long farmer, he loved being outside, planting flowers and raising his animals, including various cats and dogs. In his later years he raised stock cows he referred to as his "Babies". He also enjoyed going to farm sales and auctions. Family always said his car automatically turned at the Dairy Queen for ice cream. The last few years he was on the farm he was able to continue to be there with the support of his neighbors including John & Michelle Pasker and Al & Rhonda Becker.

He is survived by five children, Janet Duneman of Dyersville, Wayne Cooksley and Ray (Tern) Cooksley both of Manchester, Larry (Mary) Cooksley of Oskaloosa and Mary (Danny) Tekippe of Manchester; 10 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and the mother of his children, Elaine Cooksley of Manchester.

He is preceded in death by his parents; and siblings, Alice in infancy, Alberta (Harold) Reth and Donald (Marjorie) Cooksley.

A Gilbert A. Cooksley memorial fund has been established in lieu of flowers. ~ The Des Moines (IA) Register 10 Jan 2012.