Cosby Hal

Hal Cosby
Sunrise July 19, 1949
Sunset July 25, 2023
Hal Cosby was born on July 19, 1949, in Enid, Mississippi to the late George Willie and Gertrude Cosby.
Hal attended primary school at Sherman Creek School and later graduated from Alan Carver High School in Charleston, Mississippi in 1967. He always had a strong work ethic, driving the school bus while a high school student and working on his family farm. He accepted Christ at an early age, attending Persimmon Hill Baptist Church in Enid, Mississippi, singing in the choir, attending Sunday School and serving as an usher. Hal graduated from Alcorn State University in May 1971 with a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Education.
Hal married his childhood sweetheart Pearlene Johnson May 3, 1975. From their union, they had two children Tanisha LaRu and Taneeka LaSandra. During the early years of their marriage, they lived in South Dakota and Iowa. Hal was a 24-year member of Union Missionary Baptist Church in Des Moines, Iowa,
singing in the choir, serving as a Sunday School teacher and an usher.
Hal had a long career with the USDA Soil Conservation Service (Natural Resources Conservation Service). He started as an intern in 1968 in Montana and then as an employee after college in 1971. He was a Soil Conservationist in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and later held the District Conservationist role in Clear Lake, South Dakota and Boone, Iowa. He was promoted to Area Conservationist in Fort Dodge, Iowa and served as a Liaison in the Soil Tilth Laboratory at Iowa State University.
He retired after 36 years from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2007. In the same year, he and his wife relocated to Cypress, Texas. Hal dedicated 19 years to being an amazing caregiver to his wife, Pearlene, after her massive stroke in 2004. He loved playing golf, playing the piano, watching westerns, and learning about the stock market. He was a devoted 16-year member of The Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas, where he served as an usher, a member of the Momentum Men's Ministry and the SALT Ministry.
Hal Cosby transitioned on July 25, 2023. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 48 years, Pearlene Cosby; his daughter Tanisha Harrell and son in love Jamon Harrell, his daughter Taneeka Cosby; his four grandchildren Elijah Cosby, Lincoln Harrell, Kendall Harrell and Amyna Cofield; six of his siblings Celuster (Jerry) Blackburn, Rose Stocks, Willie Cosby, Emma Jean Wilson, Catherine (Shelby) Houston, Terry (Brenda) Cosby and sister in law Vickie Cosby; his special brother Sylvester (Alice) Bobo and their daughter Kesha Bobo, his special bonus daughters; Denise Simmons, Saundra Rankin and Yolanda Bradford Brown; many nieces and nephews, other family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George Willie Cosby and Gertrude Cosby and his brother Earl Cosby.