Donald E Cockroft

Donald Eugene “Don” Cockroft, 87 of Greeley died on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at the North Colorado Medical Center. He was born on September 27, 1923 in Phillips County, Kansas to Ivan A. and Gertrude (Lake) Cockroft. Don married Nancy Gueno on December 29, 1946 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Don graduated from Delta High School in 1943. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945-1946 during WWII in Atsugi Air Base in Japan. He earned his Vocational Agriculture Teacher Degree from CSU in 1951 and his Masters in Vocational Agriculture in 1970. Don started his high school teaching career at Cache La Poudre in 1951. He taught at Eaton High School from1952-1963. Don was awarded a fellowship at Columbia University in Maryland in 1963-64. From 1965-1977, Don was the FFA and Vocational Agriculture Instructor at Fort Morgan High School. Don worked at Ag-land in Eaton from 1977-1981. He was a farm real estate agent at Gilbaugh Agency from 1981 until his retirement in 1988. Don was active in the church vestry at Trinity Episcopal Church in Greeley and St. Charles Episcopal Church in Fort Morgan. He was a charter member of the Eaton Lions Club. He was a leader of the Boy Scouts. Don was active in Future Farmers of America. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, but above all was devoted to the Lord and his family. Survivors include his wife, Nancy; a daughter and her husband, Sally & Gary Buffington; 2 sons, Harry William (Bill) Cockroft and Tom Cockroft & wife Ro, a brother, Dee & wife Elsie Cockroft, a sister, Evelyn Cockroft Babcock, 6 grandchildren: Jennifer Buffington, Marc Buffington and wife Kate, Matthew Buffington, Nicole Milanovich and husband George, Christopher Cockroft, Sheila Cockroft, 2 great-grand children, Tyson and Jenna Milanovich. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan and Gertrude Cockroft and 3 brothers: Bill, Lee, and Dean Cockroft. A memorial service to celebrate Don’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 3800 W. 20th Street in Greeley. His urn will be buried at a later date in the Delta City Cemetery in Delta, Colorado. Memorial gifts may be made to Fort Morgan and Eaton FFA, Eaton Lions Club or Trinity Episcopal Church in care of Moser Funeral Service, 3501 S. 11th Avenue, Evans, Colorado 80620.

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Donald E Cockroft

September 27, 1923 - April 28, 2011