Byron Thomas “B.T.” Cooksey, 86, Vero Beach, has passed away.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jacquelyn Parks Cooksey; three children, Margaret Young (Patrick), Byron Thomas Cooksey, II (Stephany), Elizabeth Tucker (Michael); seven grandchildren, Andrew P. Young, Parker W. Young, Delaney E. Cooksey, Palmer L. Cooksey, William C. Tucker, Avery J. Tucker and B. Thomas Cooksey, III, all of Vero Beach; and a number of nieces and nephews to whom he was known affectionately as Uncle Bud.
He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Elaine Wood.
Cooksey was a man of the utmost integrity and character who spent his life in the service of others. Anyone who asked Cooksey for assistance never heard a “no” in response.
He was a native of Vero Beach. He was born to parents A.E. Cooksey & Genevieve R. Butler (Radinsky) on Sept. 29, 1927.
He was a member of Vero Beach High School Class of 1945 and graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950 where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Cooksey graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law with an LLB in 1955 where he was a member of Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1956.
He served as an associate at McCarty & Brown in Fort Pierce and later as a partner in the firms Brown & Cooksey and McCarty, Brown, Cooksey & Alderman in Fort Pierce. He was a founding partner of the Law Firm Gould, Cooksey & Fennell where he practiced law for over 50 years.
Cooksey was licensed to practice in all Florida Courts, Federal District Court, Tax Court of the United States, US Court of Patent Appeals and the US Supreme Court: United States Circuit Court of Appeals.
He was a member of The Florida Bar, Indian River County Bar Association (past president), Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers, American Bar Association, American Association of Trial Lawyers, American Judicature, Federal Bar Association, American Arbitration Association, and the 19th Circuit Grievance Committee.
Cooksey served in the US Navy during World War II aboard the USS Rowe. He also served in the US Army during the Korean War and was recruited as a civilian attorney during the Vietnam War.
He was involved in numerous civic and business organizations during his lifetime. He was the Director of Civil Defense for Indian River County, past President of the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Dept., past Senior Warden & Chancellor of Trinity Episcopal Church, a Rotarian, a Mason and a Shriner.
Cooksey was one of the owners of Indian Summer Groves, Quality Fruit Packers, CAV Corporation and other business ventures and served as a director of The Packers of Indian River, Dickerson-Florida, Inc., Indian River Processors and Security, and Federal & United Savings of America.
Cooksey was an avid outdoorsman and a lover of all things Vero Beach.
His Vero Beach postcard collection is one of a kind, filling 12 volumes and dating back to 1911. His collection of old newspaper articles and photos are on display at several businesses around town, including his law firm.
A celebration of Cooksey’s life will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014 at 1 p.m.
A private interment will be held at Crestlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in B.T. Cooksey’s memory to the charity of one’s choice.
