Memorials › Leo Clifford Cooksley

Leo Clifford Cooksley

4 Jun 1918 – 6 Dec 1994

Birth4 Jun 1918
Death6 Dec 1994
CemeteryLone Tree Cemetery
Custer County , Nebraska , USA
Added byMark Newhouse on 21 Jul 2017
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16905648

Bio

Leo Cooksley, 76, of rural Weissert died Dec, 6, 1994 st the Medical Center in Grand Island, NE following a 5 month illness Funeral services will be Dec 9 at 2:30 p.m. at the Weissert Church of God. Visitation is today Dec 8, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Govier Brothers Mortuary. Burial with military rites will be in the Lone Tree Cemetery at Weissert with Govier Brothers Mortuary in charge of the arrangements A memorial has been established in his name Cooksley was born June 4, 1918 at Weissert to George M. and Mina D. Oirnie Cooksley. He attended Lone Tree District school 139, which was the first to be classified as a standard school in Custer County. For two years he rode horseback to Rose Valley Rural School District 50. He graduated in 1950 from Broken Bow High School where he played on the Custer County Championship football team and was in the national honor society While working his way through the University of Nebraska he was active in Agricultural Executive Board, Alpha Gamma Rho, Block and Bridle Club, Coll-Agri-Fun board, Corn Cobs, Cornhusker Countryman Circulation manager, Farmer's Fair Board, Kosmet Klub president, Pershing Rifles and University 4-H club. In June 1941 he graduated with a bachelor of science degree on vocational education and rural economics and a commission as second lieutenant in the US Army Three days later he reported for duty at Ft Robinson as a field artillery officer on temporary duty with the mounted (horse) Quartermaster Corps. While in military service Cooksley was motor officer for the 6th infantry division, Division Quartermaster for the Second Calvery Division which he served in North Africa, Italy and France. He returned to the US in 1945 on a hospital ship. After recovery he joined 108, 000 people seeking Regular Army Status by taking a competitive examination and was one of only 8,900 selected. He then assumed duties as an animal officer at Remounts Depot in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and California For a short time he was commanding officer at Fort Robinson. In 1949 after nearly 10 years of Army Service he resigned his position as lieutenant colonel and returned to Weissert and the farm he and his wife the former Mary Bell Haumont of Weissert has purchased. The couple wed in 1942 His military awards and decorations include Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, World War II Victory Medal, European Theatre Medal with southern France and Rhineland Battle stars, American Campaign medal, American Defense Service medal and two Overseas Bars. Over the next 25 years he continued to judge horse shows, including all breeds, draft, pony, performance, 4-H and adult classes. He judges all horse classes at the Wyoming state fair for seven years, the last in 1961. He was also an accredited inspector for the Palomino Horse Breeder's Association. In 1961 he added the Arabian breed to his American Horse Show Association judging qualifications and helped organize the Nebraska Arabian Horse Association. In December 1961 he was elected to the Board of Directors if Custer County Agricultural Society. The following year he was named board chairman and he served in that position for 30 years. In 1962 Cooksley was elected to the Nebraska Throughbreed breeders Association Board of Directors. The following year he was named vice president a Poston he held for 16 years, followed by seven and one half years as board president. In 1975 in cooperation with the Nebraska State Racing Commission and the Nebraska Quarter Horse Association he organized use of the Custer County Fairgrounds for the first parimutuel Quarter Horse Race Meet in Nebraska. In 1990 he obtained permission from the governor and the Nebraska State Racing Commission to add Arabian horse races at the Custer County Race Course Quarterhourse Race meet, another first for Nebraska He purchased his first Registered Throughbreed horses in 1945. Honors won by horses he raised and bred, include 1953 Nebraska Bred 2 year old, 1962 Nebraska Bred 3 year old, 1975 Nebraska Bred 3 year old Filly of the year, and 1979 Broodmare of the year. Locally Cooksley was western chairman of fundraising for construction of the new University of Nebraska Chapter house, Alpha Gamma Rho, chairman of fundraising for construction of the Weissert Church of God and co-chairman of fundraising for the community hospital built in Broken Bow. He served 25 years as Wesissert Church Board of trustees chairman, secretary treasurer of the telephone company when it was locally owned and treasurer of the Weissert Cemetery Board. He had been a member of the Weissert Grange 419 since it was organized in 1958, was a member of the farm bureau, Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Stockgrowers association, Custer county Rodeo Association charter member of the Custer Centurions, Precinct Committeeman for the past 26 years and for more then 30 years commanded Memorial Day color Guard at Broken Bow

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