On November 11, 2017 James A. Cooley II of Austin lost his valiant battle with cancer at the age of 58. He is survived by his wife Darcey Elaine, daughter Jennifer “Toto” Marie, and by grandkids James Matthew and Victoria Rose, as well as his loyal hounds Holly the basset and Bailey the deagle. He is also survived by his parents James R. and Suzanne, as well as by his brother Steve, sisters Vicky, Linda and Jo, and a large extended family.
James was born in Alma, MI on October 9, 1959. He spent his childhood in Breckenridge and Lansing MI. By the time he was in high school, James had already found two of the great loves of his life, wood working and tech-theater, which led him to his third. It was during his senior year, while working a show at The Boar’s Head Theater, he met the woman he’d spend the rest of his life with, Darcey Elaine Wright. After graduating from E. Lansing High school in 1978 he and Darcey worked at various small theaters across the country, including the Waldorf Astoria in Kansas City, Missouri. It was during their time there that, on January 21st 1980, James and Darcey were married, and where their only child, Jennifer Marie, was born.
In 1982 James, Darcey and Jennifer had found their way to west Texas, where they spent the next couple years in the small town of Winters. In 1984 James’s carpentry skills had landed him a job offer in the capital city, Austin. It was here that James found his true calling in life, politics. Listing all of James’s accomplishments would fill a book, but the highlights include: City Council Aide for former council woman Louise Epstein, Chief of Staff for the Honorable Diane White Delisi, editor for The Lone Star Report, and author of numerous pieces of legislation related to health care policy in Texas. Yet despite all that he accomplished in his working life James still found time for his favorite hobbies; smoking good cigars, playing computer games, and building/repairing computers. On top of all of that, James was a loving and devoted husband and an amazing father to his daughter and both of his grandchildren.
James always had a positive outlook on life, and tried to find humor even in the worst of times. As he said…often…”Someday we’ll look back on this and laugh. Of course by then we’ll be old and gray and probably laugh at everything, but at least we’ll laugh!”
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