Douglas Cokley

Douglas Alan Cokley

November 8, 1947 - July 4, 2022

Douglas Alan Cokley passed away on July 4, 2022 in Bakersfield, California.

Doug was born on November 8, 1947 in Sedro Woolley, WA to Ray and Loretta Cokley. Doug spent most of his life in Santa Maria, graduating from Santa Maria High School. He married JoAnn Figureid in 1965, and together they had five children. He married Lisa Poore in 1983, and together they had two children. He moved to Bakersfield in March of 2022.

Doug loved to work and over the years he worked at Columbia Records, Engel & Grey, Shell Oil, Berg Electric, Mafi-Trench/Atlas Copco, Overland Security, and various other Data Communications jobs. Doug also donated much of his time working for Your Orcutt Youth Organization, as a Knight of Columbus, and several other groups through his church, St Louis de Montfort.

Doug is very much missed and is preceded in death by his parents, siblings Jill Anderson, Joy Farley, Gary Cokley, and daughter Denise Cokley. He is survived by his sons Robert Cokley (Mandie), Everett Poore-Cokley (Audra), and daughters Michelle Crawley (Jim), Yvonne Cokley, Christina Pavletich (Nick), Laura Richardson (Peter); grandchildren Melissa Cokley, Garrett Pavletich, Dylan Pavletich, Naomi Pavletich, Patrick Cokley, Matthew Cokley, Kyle Richardson, Mara Richardson, Lilly Richardson, Zelda Coronado, Jackson Poore-Cokley, River Poore-Cokley; siblings Lee Cokley and Judy Williams, as well as many other nieces and nephews.

Doug loved his work, family, humor, and God. His music ran from Willie Nelson to Bob Seger, but he is best known for his sense of humor and limitless supply of one-liners. He always enjoyed helping youth and carpentry. He knew how to use just about any tool and collected many of them over the years. No matter where or what he started with, it always looked better by the time he left. He was one of the hardest working people most ever knew. He never met a task that seemed 'too hard' and set an excellent example of 'life-long learning'.

Doug always wanted to be an engineer so he applied his never-ending thirst for knowledge to every job he had. Many times, he had two or three jobs as he worked diligently to support his family. Doug loved his country, respected the armed services greatly as he lost his brother in the Vietnam War, so it was poignant that he departed us on Independence Day amidst the red, white, and blue fireworks that proclaim our freedoms.

Doug loved God and was always willing to contribute his efforts for the various religious organizations that he was fed God's Word by over the years. At the time of his death, he fellowshipped with the St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church where he had many friends. We are comforted by the knowledge that we will see him again as a family of believers in the Christian faith. He rests in God's hands now while we await our reunion with him in the future.

A graveside service will be held at the Santa Maria cemetery at 10:30am on Saturday, July 30, 2022. Please see the online Obituary that is specifically for friends and family to leave messages, remembrances and we hope...your favorite one-liners for everyone to celebrate his life and for all to enjoy.