James Leon Cockrum

A Celebration of Life service for James Leon Cockrum, 70, Koshkonong, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Caulfield Community Building.    

Mr. Cockrum passed away Sunday, February 23, 2025. 

He was born September 21, 1954, in Howell County, Missouri, to James A. Cockrum and Mary Lou McGoldrick Cockrum.  On July 7, 1977 (intentionally 7-7-77 so he wouldn’t forget), he was married at West Plains, Missouri, to Ruth Ann Vaughan.   Leon drove a semi for thirty-five years.  He went over eight million miles, one accident and many high spend awards, as he called them.  He will tell you how to get to every feed store and every cattle feed lot in the country.  He worked at Southwest Truck Body (now DRS) for several years, off and on as well as working in construction with his father.  He was a jack of all trades.  Mr. Cockrum spent time planting trees and building steel buildings.  In his retirement years woodworking was his passion; he made beautiful furniture that will be cherished forever.  He loved spending time with his grandchildren and singing with Ms. Molly.  In Leon’s younger years, he loved showing horses, hunting coyotes and deer, camping and fishing at the lake.  He and his wife lived at Pottersville, Missouri for almost fifty years.  Shortly after moving to Thayer to be closer to his family, he suffered a massive stroke.  He had hoped to enjoy and work on the farm before his sickness; he even had a mower and tractor picked out.  Even though the stroke took his mobility, he was able to keep his humor, which helped his family to deal with the situation.  He kept them on their toes.  Mr. Cockrum would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it; he never knew a stranger.  If you ever lost him in a crowd, you could just stop and listen and you would hear him telling a story or laughing over everyone.  He could tell the best stories. 

He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann Cockrum, of the family home; three children, Jamie Cockrum-Soles and husband, Micheal, Springfield, Missouri, Leigh Ann McKee and husband, Cory, Thayer, Missouri and Courtney Cockrum and husband, Joey, Bakersfield, Missouri; eight grandchildren, Mattie Ann Butler, Kylie, Teagan, and Tucker Lewis, Elizabeth Clark, Nicole Cockrum-Hunter, Alexis Little and Logan Cockrum-Hunter; six great-grandchildren; one sweet great-nephew, Little David; and may cousins, nieces and nephews. 

His parents, two brothers, David and Danny and one sister, Caroline, preceded him in death.  

Arrangements under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.