David F. Cooley
Whitefield, NH – After a period of declining health, David Franklin
Cooley died peacefully at his residence, The Summit, in Whitefield, NH
on August 20, 2025; he was 100 years old.
David was born November 12, 1924, in Springfield, MA. David was the
oldest and only remaining child of Don and Florence (Mason) Cooley; he
was predeceased by his three brothers, Chandler, Arnold, and John.
In his early years, David’s family moved to Sharon, VT and then
Royalton, VT where David graduated high school in 1943. As a youth,
David played and then worked on his grandfather’s farm in Sharon; in
high school he worked for farmer Frank Brown and at Tracy’s Garage in
Sharon.
In 1944, David was drafted into the US Navy and worked as a
photographer’s assistant on the Cruiser USS Los Angeles in the
Pacific. Upon discharge from the Navy, David began a career with New
England Telephone (later Nynex) and worked as a telephone installer
and repairman in Burlington, VT. It was in Burlington that he met his
wife, Lois Jane Jenkin; the couple married on June 3, 1950, and
celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary this year. David and Lois
raised five children, David, Carol, John, Sarah, and Elizabeth. Sarah
predeceased her father in 2008.
David remained with Nynex for 38 years until he retired as a Network
Manager in 1984. Never one to be idle, in retirement David volunteered
at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and installed LifeLines around
the Upper Valley. Additionally, he was active with the Telephone
Pioneers and served as the VT chapter President for several years.
David and Lois lived in six homes over the years and at each residence
David had flourishing flowers and vegetable gardens. David was a keen
photographer and had pictures published in Vermont Life and Yankee
magazines. David also had an impressive wood shop and made countless
bookcases and other pieces of furniture, picture frames, wooden
puzzles, and toys over decades; he especially enjoyed teaching
woodworking skills to his grandchildren.
David loved to tell stories about his family’s life and self-published
a book recounting his grandfather’s life on Beaver Meadow Road in
Sharon in the early 20th century.
David was a man of deep faith and was an active member and leader in
churches wherever he lived, including Baptist churches in Brattleboro
and Burlington, VT, and Whitefield, NH; United Methodist Church in
White River Junction, VT; and West Lebanon Congregational Church.
David’s surviving family members include his wife, Lois; children:
David (Nancy), Carol Peters, John (Sue), and Elizabeth Cooley (Stephen
Buzzell). David was devoted to his 11 grandchildren: Timothy, Kristi,
Andrew, Daniel, and Joshua (D. Cooley); John (Peters); Alec, Mei, and
Jamilla (Buzzell); Thomas and Laura (J. Cooley), and 7 great
grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 11
AM, at the Whitefield, NH Community Baptist Church, with a reception
to follow.
To view David’s Online Tribute, send condolences to the family, or for
more information, visit www.phaneuf.net.