In Remembrance: David L. Cookson ’78 Died on August 14 2025

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David Lawrence Cookson, age 69, of Edina, Minnesota, passed away on August 14, 2025, surrounded by his family, after a short but unexpectedly serious illness.  Dave was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but spent most of his childhood in Madison, Wisconsin.  He graduated from Madison Memorial High School and went on to earn his BA in engineering from Yale University in 1978.  After graduation, he immediately moved to the Twin Cities and worked as an engineer and salesman in the power industry for his entire career, with the past 16 years as owner and president of Power Products and Services, Inc.

As a young man, Dave was primarily known for his toughness and athletic ability, excelling particularly in hockey and golf.  He was a punishing defenseman for the Yale hockey team, and an exceptionally long driver for the golf team.  Dave’s passion for golf never left him, and his accomplishments included club championships at Hazeltine NGC, qualifying for the United States Mid-Amateur, and finishing second in the Minnesota State 4-Ball.  Later in life, Dave added squash as an athletic pursuit, and quickly became a champion in that as well.

Dave had a quiet confidence that stemmed more from his knowledge and intellect than his athletic abilities.  He had a lifelong love of learning, spent much of his free time reading nonfiction and watching educational videos, and clearly reveled in passing on his wisdom to family and friends.  He prized truth and honesty—and sometimes caught people by surprise with it!  He was a man of integrity.

Most importantly, Dave was a true family man.  He spent many weekends surrounding himself with his wife, children, and grandchildren (who loved him as Dearpa), and preparing delicious homemade meals for them.  His love, support, and counsel will be dearly missed.  Dave loved his life and was grateful to God for all of his blessings.

He is survived by his beloved wife Lynn Cookson; children Rebecca (John) Willette and John Platt, former wife Anne-Marie Cookson, and their children David P. Cookson, Elizabeth Leach, Jocelyn Cookson, and Benjamin (Emily) Cookson; grandchildren Mazelyn and Mackinley Northenscold, Jacob and Michael Leach, Theodore, Megan, and Hannah Willette, and Ryan and Amelia Platt; brothers Daniel (Holly) Cookson and Matthew (Gail) Cookson; and sister Sondra (Eugene) McLinn.  He was preceded in death by daughter Jeanne Platt, and was mourning the recent passing of son-in-law Robert Leach.

Visitation: 4–7 p.m., Monday August 25, 2025, at Washburn McReavy Edina Chapel, 5000 West 50th Street, Edina.  Memorial Service: 10 a.m., Tuesday August 26 at Church of the Cross, 201 9th Avenue North, Hopkins.  Interment: Eden Prairie Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF). 

—Submitted by the family.