Dale B. Cooley's Obituary
Dale B. Cooley, age 89, of Shalersville Twp., passed away Monday, April 8, 2024. Born in Hudson, Ohio on January 3, 1935, to Lucius Hall Cooley and Grace Bailey Cooley (both deceased). Dale moved with his family to Shalersville in 1944 where he farmed with his father until 1959 and his brother Lucius B. Cooley until 1985, partnering with his sons Dale Steven Cooley and Roger Keith Cooley until 2001. Overall, the family farmed for 42 years.
Dale trained for the U.S. Army at FT Hood, Texas and then Ft Gordon, Georgia as a radio teletype operator, then spent a year in Furth, Germany as a radio teletype team chief. Dale mustard out as a Sergeant in 1959 with the 4th Armored Division, 67th Armored Battalion.
Dale was president of the Portage County Farm Bureau and a member of the Ravenna Jaycees. He was the 1996 recipient of the Shermin Brockett Honorary Dairymen’s Award. As an early Dairymen in Portage County Dale pioneered the use of round baler with of the county’s first milking parlors and free-stalls for cows.
Dale enjoyed traveling with his wife and family in their fifth wheel, to Arizona and Florida.
Dale is survived by his wife of 65 years, Joan (Geiss) Cooley, children Dale S. (Linda) Cooley, Roger (Paula) Cooley and Suzy (John) Romaine; Grandchildren, Zachary (Ymisia) Cooley, Kaley Cooley (Christian Smith-Misja), Ben Cooley (Breyann Stevens), Cameron Romaine, Cara Romaine, and Chase Romaine; a great granddaughter Stevie Lee Cooley and Harper Rae Smith- Misja; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Lucius B. Cooley and George Cooley and a grandson, Jacob Cooley.
A private family burial will take place. Friends are invited to a Celebration of Life at the Shalersville Town Hall, Friday April 12th 2024, starting at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Shalersville Historical Society, PO Box 687 Mantua, Ohio 44255.
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