Obituary of Ron Cookson
Ronald Ernest Cookson of Lougheed, Alberta passed away at the University of Alberta Hospital on January 21, 2023 at the age of 75 years.
He was the eldest of 4 sons born to Ernest and Vesta Cookson in Hardisty, Alberta on June 17, 1947.
Ron is survived by his daughter Leslie Cookson and son Steven Cookson, grandchildren Shelby Andersen, Ashton Cookson, Ebony Cookson and great grandchildren Deklen, Brooks and Noah DeCoste. Ron is also survived by his brothers; Tom Cookson (Linda), Blair Cookson (Jackie) and Scott Cookson (Barb), as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Ron was predeceased by his mother Vesta in 2004 and his father Ernie in 2020.
He grew up on the farm in Lougheed and began school at Cambridge Country School District. Ron’s class was one of the last groups of students to attend Cambridge School in 1954. He was then bussed to Lougheed School and following that, to Sedgewick Central High School.
Ron was a great pitcher and excelled at Baseball, Curling and Football, even being called by the Edmonton Huskies Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) to tryout, but instead chose to marry and start a family. Ron worked for Air Canada in Edmonton for nine years and then spent many years in the United States managing operations in the oil industry in Wyoming and California, as well as overseas in South America working offshore.
He suffered kidney failure 30 years ago due to Polycystic kidney disease (PKD). After time spent on dialysis, he received a kidney from a donor in Utah who succumbed to a motorcycle accident. Ron took great care of himself and his kidney, and he long outlived the survival rate of a deceased donor kidney transplant.
Ron spent the last 20 years back in Alberta. In 2007, he and his dad, Ernie, and brothers Tom, Blair and Scott flew to Ontario on a memorable trip visiting the RCAF Memorial Museum and Hockey Hall of Fame. This trip was often a reminiscing topic of conversation at family get-togethers.
Due to failing health, Ron spent much of the past year at the Viking Hospital, where he was affectionally known by many of the nurses as “Uncle Ron”. Memorial donations in Ron’s memory may be made to the Viking Health Centre or a charity of the donor’s choice. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
