Dorothy J. Cookson

Dorothy J. Cookson, 88, of Pekin, formerly of Quincy, died at 12:44 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, at Pekin Manor in Pekin. Born Dec. 30, 1922, in Quincy, Dorothy was the daughter of Charles and Ellen Adair Blaine. She was raised in the home of John J. Kelle and her mother, Ellen. She married Charles 'Meb' Cookson on Sept. 21, 1941, in Clayton. He preceded her in death on Dec. 19, 1998. She also was preceded in death by her parents; a son-in-law, Donald Van Dyke; three brothers, Marvin Kelle, V. Paul Kelle and Charles Kelle; and three sisters, Carolyn Goodson, Edith Hull and Eleanor Kelle. Survivors include one daughter, Charlotte Van Dyke of Pekin; one son, John (Delores 'Missy') Cookson of Whitefish Bay, Wis.; five grandchildren, Bridget Cookson of Winter Park, Colo., Zachery (Debra) Cookson of San Diego, Calif., Todd (Melissa) Van Dyke of Eureka, Mo., David (Holy) Van Dyke of Pekin and Jeffrey Van Dyke of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; four great-grandchildren, Matthew Van Dyke of Washington, D.C., Peyton Van Dyke of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Conor Van Dyke and Maya Van Dyke, both of Eureka, Mo.; two brothers, Eugene (Suzanne) Kelle and Richard Kelle, both of Quincy; two sisters-in-law, Joyce Kelle of Quincy and Barb Kelle of Indianapolis; and several loving nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. Dorothy was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pekin. She enjoyed swimming and going shopping with her daughter, Charlotte. She was dearly loved by all of her friends at John Evans Assisted Living Community in Pekin, where she was lovingly called the 'queen of the home.' Dorothy was a wonderful homemaker and mother who was devoted to her family and especially cherished the time she spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.