COOKSON, Eugene Kenneth "Gene" - b. June 27,1927 - d. April 16, 2003

[genealogynut]

Winfield Daily Courier
Friday, April 18, 2003

HOWARD--- Eugene Kenneth "Gene" Cookson, 75, longtime resident of Howard, died April 16, 2003 at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus in Wichita.

Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the Howard United Methodist Church.  The Rev. Julie Shields and Pastor Robin Haines will officiate.  Burial will be in Grace Lawn Cemetery.

A memorial has been established with the Howard Senior Center.  Contributions may be made through Zimmerman Funeral Home.

Cookson was born June 27, 1927, in Belleville, Ill., to Irma (Gohs) and Joseph Cookson.  He grew to manhood in Illinois and graduated from Dupo High School in 1946.

After graduating from high school, he joined the U. S. Merchant Marine and on Sept. 5, 1946, he joined the U. S. Army.  He served in World War II and the Korean War.  For a short time he lived in East St. Louis, Mo., before moving to Howard.

On March 27, 1948, he married Louise Mary McLean in Howard.  They made their home in Wichita where he was employed at Beech Aircraft Co.  In 1954 they moved to Howard and founded Cookson's Electric.  After their store building burned in 1970, they bought the Western Auto business and moved to the former Smith and Goodwin Building in Howard.  In 1975 they became a True Value store and their son, Mark, continues to operate the business today.   Cookson retired from Cookson's True Value in 1992.

He was a longtime member of the American Legion Carter-Rader Post 129 and Hope Masonic Lodge 155, both of Howard.

Survivors include his wife, Louise Cookson, Howard; two sons, Mark Cookson, Howard, and Robert Cookson, Bloomington, Ind.; a daughter, Linda Craig, Wichita; a brother, Glenn Cookson, Wakeeney; five grandsons and one great-granddaughter.