James Allen Cooksey

January 17th, 1945 – April 21st, 2024

James ‘”Jim” Allen Cooksey 79, of House Springs Missouri, passed away peacefully at John Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri at 8:25p.m. April 21st, 2024 surrounded by family and friends.

He is survived by two Grand-Daughters and two Great Grand-Daughters.

He his preceded in death by his wife Gloria Sue, his son Mark, his three brothers John, Bill and Frederick, and his four sisters Sue, Martha, Dorothy, and Margaret.

Jim was a man of many talents. His ability to “figure it out” was most impressive. If he didn’t know how to do something he would educate himself until he could do it no matter what it was. He was a self-taught musician, self-taught master woodworking restoration specialist, self-taught mechanic and auto restorer.

When Jim wasn’t fixing something he loved to fish with “The Killer”, a top water jig he made himself. He was also an avid hunter with moose kills in Alaska and many deer throughout the Midwest.

As a child he watched his father John Cooksey run a barber shop in Eureka Missouri and his mother Viola Cooksey opened the first antique shop in Eureka also.

In 1966 Jim was drafted to Vietnam. A few months after arriving, he was wounded in action January 9th 1967 and spent nine months in the hospital in Cam Rahn Bay. When he got home in 1968 he went to Barber School in St. Louis and opened a Barber shop shortly thereafter where he rented a location in downtown Eureka Missouri. He then purchased a location in High Ridge Missouri where he cut hair for a few years. He would cut hair during the day, restore antique furniture in his basement at home in the evenings, and play music with his band on the weekends. The early pieces he restored in his basement were so well done he soon had more work than he could do at home. Furniture being more lucrative he closed his barber shop in the mid 1970’s and opened a furniture refinishing business at 4130 Gravois Rd where he retired from in the late 1990’s.

Jim was also known for his negotiation skills when it came to making a deal. After retiring he took up a job at a pawnshop in House Springs Missouri where he became a master negotiator and truly learned the art of a deal. In his later years he loved restoring and cruising his classic cars.

Jim was like a father to many people and the dearest friend a person could ask for.

He will be missed by many family members, friends, his caregiver, and his wonderful neighbors on top of the hill.