Leighton Hischer Cooney Sr.

Cooney, Sr., Leighton Hischer 98, died peacefully in his home at Oak St. in Winnetka with his son and daughter at his side on April 11, 2012. He was born in San Francisco, CA on January 13, 1914 to Anna Hischer Cooney. He grew up in Winnetka and attended the Horace Mann School and then Skokie School. He attended New Trier HS and St. George HS where he graduated. He was always grateful to the Christian Brothers for their help and support. As a boy, he worked at 2-3 jobs before and after school to help support his mother, sister, and two cousins. He delivered papers, cleaned out stables, worked in a drug store, and on a local estate, caddied, and served as an office boy. At age 98, he still remembered the train timetables for the early morning paper deliveries. As a young man, he became assistant manager of the Sears and Roebuck store in the Winnetka Village. When his mother died in 1942, he was drafted into the Army where he rose quickly from Private to Second Lt. With the support of his superior officers, he was accepted into the Army's prestigious and final horse cavalry officer's candidate school program. During a short leave from the Army, he met Patricia Blaker in Wilmette. They married and had a son, Leighton Jr. in 1944 and daughter, Allyson in 1947. After his discharge from the Army, he took classes at Northwestern University and returned to Sears where he moved from retail store management to the home offices. Serving as buyer, he developed and marketed many of the new products that filled American homes following the war. He retired from Sears after nearly 40 years of service and opened Cooney Manufacturing Co. which he ran through his early 90's. He served for eight years as a scout leader, volunteered with the local PTA and helped the local Republican Party, among many other civic activities. For 30 years he supported the North Shore Sunday Evening Club, serving as a board member, Treasurer and President. He was a member of the 1st Church of Christ Scientists and served as an usher, then head usher for many years. He and his wife, Pat, took the family on semi-annual trips to see the USA. He enjoyed sailing, first in a Sunfish, which he kept at the sailing beach in Wilmette, and then on his Cal 29 moored at the Great Lakes Naval Training base harbor. He loved playing golf, and played into his early 90's. In his mid 80's he took voice lessons and sang in a recital with the young and the young at heart students. He loved riding his bicycle to the lake, the Botanic Gardens and on the many beautiful area trails. He reluctantly curtailed his bike riding in his early 90's. He was predeceased by his wife of 35 years, Patricia Blaker Cooney; his mother, Anna Hischer Cooney; and a sister, Bernice Cooney Patek. He is survived by his son, Leighton of Auburn, ME; his daughter, Allyson of Glenview; his daughter-in-law, Holly Burton Cooney; and three granddaughters, Eliza of NYC, Anne of Ft. Collins, CO, and Grace of Brunswick, ME; as well as his special friend of many years, Sue Peckham of Wilmette. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 2nd, at 12:00PM at Hackney's on Lake Avenue in Glenview, Illinois. Inquiries are welcome to corinth706@gmail.com