Richard D. Cooley's Obituary
Richard “Dick” Donald Cooley, 94, of Eastford, CT passed away on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at Day Kimball Hospital due to complications from pneumonia. He was born on March 9, 1928 in Staffordville, CT, the sixth child of the late Omer and Maude (Smith) Cooley. He graduated from Stafford Springs High School in 1946 and continued to live in Staffordville until his move to Eastford in 1958. Called to service in the US Army in 1950, he served at Ft Bragg and then in Germany until his separation in 1952. On December 16, 1952, he started working at Bowen’s Garage in Eastford, CT and worked there for almost 52 years until his retirement in May 2004. Dick was a volunteer firefighter in the Staffordville Fire Department for 15 years starting as a Junior fire-fighter and continuing until his move to Eastford. His hobbies included gardening and being outdoors, taking care of a garden until his recent hospital stay. He loved his family most and leaves a beloved wife of 69 years, Cynthia (Bradway) Cooley; a daughter Patricia (Cooley) Thorburn and her husband Gary Thorburn of Maynard, MA, a son Timothy Cooley and his wife Jean (Klepp) Cooley of Oxford, MA; four grandchildren Benjamin Thorburn, Rebecca (Thorburn) Beach, Brett Cooley, and Brad Cooley; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by five sisters, Marjorie Bren, Doris Sangar, Jean Dupont, Winnifred Reynolds, and Olive Cooley; and a brother Ralph “Mike” Cooley. A graveside service with Military Honors will be held at Staffordville Cemetery, 375 East Street, Stafford Springs, CT on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 3:00pm (cemetery is located behind the Staffordville Gospel Church). There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Staffordville Fire Department, 9 Colburn Rd, Stafford Springs, CT 06076, or Eastford Fire Department, 6 Westford Rd, Eastford, CT 06242. Introvigne Funeral Home, Inc., Stafford Springs, CT, has care of the arrangements. To leave a condolence online for the family please visit: www.introvignefuneralhome.com.
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