Lyle Rigby Cooley

Lyle Rigby Cooley died June 16, 2011, at Logan Regional Hospital of complications following surgery. He was born on July 25, 1920, in Newton, Utah, to Walter Andrew and Edith Rigby Cooley. He lived in Newton all of his life. He graduated from North Cache High School and attended Utah State Agricultural College before serving in the Texas-Louisiana LOS Mission from 1942-44. Lyle met Donna Larsen of Hyrum, Utah, when she came to Newton in 1941 to teach school. They dated for a few months before his mission and corresponded throughout his mission, marrying on February 18, 1944, in the Mesa Arizona LOS Temple. Lyle and Donna built a home next to his parents in Newton and lived there throughout their married life. Donna died in 1995. In 1996, he married Charlotte Jenkins of Newton, and they continued to make their home there. Lyle served in the U. S. Navy during World War II. He worked for the Department of Agriculture as Cache County director of the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service for 35 years and as state director for six years. While employed and farming, he returned to school part-time and received a degree from Utah State University in dairy science in 1972. Lyle served two terms as mayor of Newton and two terms on the Cache County School Board. He was president of that board for five years. He served in numerous leadership positions in the LOS Church, including as bishop for seven years and president of the Smithfield Stake for 13 years. He served as a stake patriarch for 34 years, first in the Smithfield Stake and in the Benson Stake since 1978. Since 1991, he has served two days a week in the Logan LOS Temple as a sealer. After his retirement in 1987, he and Donna served a LOS mission in Christchurch, New Zealand for 18 months. He was the family handyman and enjoyed farming. He loved helping out with a project and enjoyed serving others. He attended Aggie basketball games for many years and enjoyed watching basketball, football or baseball games on television. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte, and his children and their spouses: Kaylene and Martin Jenson, Annette and Roger Handy, Marcia Chambers, Lila Cooley, and David and Joyce Salisbury Cooley, 22 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren, a foster son, Dennis Dennison, and a brother-in-law, Lawrence Cantwell. He is also survived by Charlotte's children: Charlene and Art Jameson, Sharon and LaMar Ballard, Joyce and Paul Jenkins, Lola Lager, and Kevin and Laura Jenkins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna, his parents and siblings, and a granddaughter, Melissa Handy. Visitation will be Monday, June 20, 2011, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Nelson Funeral Home in Logan, 162 East 400 North and at the Church on Tuesday 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to the service in Newton. Funeral services will be Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at the Newton LDS Church, 90 South 100 West. Interment will be in the Newton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the LDS Church general missionary fund.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com