Oscar M. COOKE

COOKE, WILLIAMS, MOSELEY, BURTON, WINDLE, STUEDLE, WHITAKER, BURTON, COOPER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/16/2009 at 10:08:12

Constitution-Tribune, Chillicothe, Missouri
May 11, 2009

Oscar M. Cooke, age 84, a resident of Chillicothe, Mo., passed away Saturday, May 9, 2009. Oscar was born Aug. 19, 1924 the son of Oscar O. and Ada L. (Williams) Cooke in Emporia, Kan. Oscar was married to Patricia Moseley on June 11, 1950 in Goldfield, Iowa. She survives of the home. Oscar was a 4-H club member, custom combining at age 12, elected President of Benson Jr. High School, Omaha, Neb., a member of National Honor Society, Graduate of pre-Meteorology, Hamilton, College, N.Y., U.S. Air Force Flight Crew, served during World War II and piloted B-17, B-24 and B-29's. Oscar was President D.U. Social Fraternity; he was a past President of Rotary, a Mason, and a Moila Shrine Member. Oscar was a number 1 Market Share Dealer for Allis Chalmers Construction Machinery Dealer for 10 years in a row, President of Cooke Sales and Services for over 50 years, President of Machinery Credit, President of North America Machinery LTD. Oscar was a Pilot with over 17,000 flight hours logged, Multi-Engine and IFR rated, he was a member and Elder of the Presbyterian Church. He was a top Allis Chalmers Industrial Machinery Dealer in 1982, he won Allis Chalmers Construction Machinery contest for a trip around the world in 1962. Oscar took several hundred customers to Heavy Machinery Factories in the United States and Europe. He was a 1942 graduate of Benson High School, Omaha, Neb., and a 1949 graduate of Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa with a BS in Mechanical Engineering.

Oscar is survived by his wife, Pat, one son, Mel Cooke and wife, Lupita of San Jose, Costa Rica; one daughter, Cynthia Burton and her husband, John of Mesa, Ariz.; one brother, Riley Cooke and his wife, Vicki of Billings, Mont.; one sister, Marie Windle of Oak Park, Mo.; six grandchildren, Shawna Cooke of Springfield, Mo., Tawnya Stuedle of Cameron, Mo., Tausha Cooke of Kansas City, Mo., Shayla Whitaker of Cameron, Mo., Patrick Burton of Mesa, Ariz., and Christopher Burton of St. Louis, Mo.; one great-grandchild, Carissa Stuedle of Cameron, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Bette Cooke and Irene Cooper.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, Chillicothe, Mo. Masonic Services will be at 5:30 p.m. followed by a family visitation held on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Mo. Friends may call on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 from 12 noon until 9 p.m. at Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Mo. There will be a private family and Business Family Inurnment held on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at Cooke's Lake, Chillicothe, Mo. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chillicothe Salvation Army and/or the First Presbyterian Church, Chillicothe, Mo., and may be left at the funeral home or mailed to Lindley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, MO 64601. Arrangements are under the direction of Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Mo.