Obituary of Ward Melvin Cooksey

Funeral service for Ward Melvin Cooksey, 81, of Sulphur Springs will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 12, 2016, at West Oaks Funeral Home Chapel with Shane Carrington of Southside Church of Christ officiating. Interment will follow at Reilly Springs Cemetery with Hunter Cooksey, Jonathan Cooksey, Wayne Cooksey, Johnny Gibson, Marlin Jones, and Ronny Lyle serving as pallbearers. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m., Sunday, December 11, 2016, at West Oaks Funeral Home. Mr. Cooksey went to be with his Lord on Saturday, December 10, 2016, at Carriage House Manor. He was born on July 6, 1935, in Goree, Texas, to Ballie Oretha Yates Cooksey and William Melvin Cooksey. He married Jossie Virginia “Ginger” Hammons on August 11, 1962. Mr. Cooksey served in the United States Army and National Guard for 20 years until he retired as Lt. Colonel. He received a bachelor’s degree from Hardin-Simmons University and a master’s degree from Texas Women’s University. He was a teacher and school administrator for more than 50 years: high school principal in Seymour, Texas for the majority of his career. He had a lifelong passion for horses, calf roping, and bird hunting. He was also dedicated to serving his community as a Master Mason. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his sons, Scotty Cooksey and wife Cindy of Provo, Utah, and Danny Cooksey and wife Karen of Sulphur Springs; his grandchildren, Stephanie Pruitt and husband Zack of Wolfforth, Paige Cooksey of Sulphur Springs, Hunter Cooksey and wife Danielle of Sulphur Springs, and Jonathan Cooksey and wife Hope of New Boston; and four great-grandchildren, Brik and Axel Pruitt, and Aspyn and Gracie Cooksey. Also surviving him are his sister Peggy Myers and sister-in-law Georgia Cooksey. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Taylor Cooksey; and his sisters, Reba and Sandra Cooksey. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, www.calfarley.org/boysranch. Arrangements are under the direction of West Oaks Funeral Home, www.westoaksfunealhome.com