James M. Cooksey (2-25-15) service 3-3-15

James Monroe Cooksey was born on Jan. 21, 1938, in Adamsville, the son of the late Cleo and Emma Cooksey. Mr. Cooksey quietly passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Savannah Healthcare Center at the age of 77 years, 1 month and 4 days.
Mr. Cooksey graduated from Morris Chapel High School in 1956. He moved to Texas and lived there for more than 40 years. He was the owner of Jim’s Backhoe Service through which he contracted with South Western Bell in Fort Worth, Texas.
His greatest joy was spending time with his family and friends. His passion was buying, selling, trading, collecting and restoring vintage cars. He was also a lifelong NASCAR fan, and an avid collector of racing memorabilia.
He is survived by one daughter, Reneeé Harmon of Adamsville; one son, Jimmy Cooksey of Crump; two sisters, Martha Conaway, husband Keith, and Cheri Hill, both of Adamsville; eight grandchildren, Kaitlyn Cooksey of Adamsville, Julianne Fowler, husband Jared, of Germantown, Tennessee, Ben Harmon of Savannah, Luke Harmon of Adamsville, Paige Thurman, Reagan Thurman, D’Ann Thomas, Callie Fornash, all of Ft. Worth, Texas; and eight great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Emily Ruth Phillips and Peggy Dean McFalls.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.  
Memorial services were held on Tuesday, March 3, at 1 p.m., at Shackelford Funeral Home in Adamsville with Eddie McFalls and Markus Smith officiating. Burial followed in Crump Cemetery at Crump.