Irene Cooksey

Irene Cooksey

Services were Saturday, June 13 at the United Church in Edgemont, SD with the Rev. Roy Brown officiating for longtime northern Niobrara County resident, Irene Cooksey, 91.

Mrs. Cooksey died June 10, 1987, at Torrington following a lengthy illness.

She was born March 13, 1896 at Castana, IA. At the age of eight, her family settled in Hay Springs, NE. At the age of 16 she followed in her mother's footsteps and accepted her first teaching position. She taught in many rural Nebraska schools before moving to Wyoming. She and her sister Helen filed a homestead and Mrs. Cooksey taught at Dewey, SD.

On June 16, 1920, she married another homesteader, Collette "Mose" Cooksey. They ranched in northern Niobrara County. They had two children, John and Mary Jeanette.

Mrs. Cooksey devoted her time to her family and did sewing, needle and art work, baking and canning and was always ready when the spring work began.

She lived on the homestead until 1986.

She was preceded in death by her husband, son, daughter, a brother and two sisters. Survivors include one sister, Grace McDonald of Auburn, WA, eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

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