Walter Mortimer “Mort” Cookson was welcomed home to heaven on Friday, August 19, 2016. Born in Stockton on May 25, 1925 to Walter Mortimer Cookson, Sr., and Myrtle Irene (Tarr) Cookson, Mort lived his 91 years in Ripon, CA on his family farm until the last few months of his life. He married Alida (Hilvers) Cookson on October 22, 1948 in Ripon, CA. He was a farmer, cornetist, singer, volunteer, linguist, master of sarcasm, factory worker, and a traveler. He valued honesty, appreciated good food, honored God, enjoyed being around his family, and loved his wife, whom he called “the prettiest thing I’d ever seen”.
  Mort volunteered at Delta Blood Bank until his health no longer allowed it. He spent years donating his time with the Mobile Missionary Assistance Program’s building projects, and was often seen “helping the neighbor”.
  Mort is survived by his wife Alida of 67 years; daughter Marilyn (Glenn) De Jong of Ripon; son Gary Cookson of Mitchell, SD; son Ron (Karen) Cookson of Escalon; daughter Gail (Ed) Nicolay of Ripon; daughter Susan (Ed) Rice of Grass Valley; grandson Chad (Jennifer)
De Jong; grandson Sean (Christine) De Jong; granddaughter Amanda (Chad) Carver; granddaughter Kelsey Cookson; grandson Kellen Cookson; grandson David Nicolay; grandson Daniel Nicolay; granddaughter Lauren Rice; granddaughter Megan Rice; great grandchildren Colbie De Jong, Cade De Jong, Athena Nicolay, Charlie Carver, and another due in March. Mort was greeted in heaven by his parents and his brother, Harold W. Cookson.
  A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2016 from 4-7 p.m. at Deegan Ripon Memorial Chapel. A private graveside for Mort will be at Ripon Cemetery on Friday, August 26, 2016 at
10 a.m., followed by a memorial service at Zion United Reformed Church, in Ripon, at 11a.m.                
  Remembrances may be made to Gospel Center Rescue Mission in Stockton, or Ripon Christian Schools. For condolences to the family, please visit his online guestbook at www.deeganfuneralchapels.
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Ripon
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Wednesday, August 24, 2016