Beaumont native fought in Battle of the Bulge
Brig. Gen. Mike P. Cokinos, a recipient of the Purple Heart, an Aggie and a Beaumont native, died Thursday in Houston. He was 98.
He was the last of the four brothers — including Geneos, Jimmie and Andrew — from a well-known Beaumont family that went on to serve as a mayor and councilman.
Cokinos was in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, as well as an accomplished athlete on the basketball team. He was team captain, and as a senior in 1943, an all-Southwest Conference point guard. Cokinos was known as the “darling of the court,” for his good looks, and “Iron Mike,” for his hustle and defensive skills, according to his obituary.
After he graduated with a bachelor of science, he attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill in Oklahoma before going through advanced training at Fort Polk in Louisiana.
By 1944, he had been sent into combat to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, Germany’s last offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II.
One of his proudest accomplishments was assisting the liberation of a number of Polish concentration camps after Germany surrendered, his obituary said.
He had attained the rank of general by 1946 when he was released from active duty and decorated with the Silver Star, a Legion of Merit, a Good Conduct Medal and three battle stars.
After the war, Cokinos returned to Beaumont and entered the construction, real estate and insurance fields. He coowned Cokinos Insurance Agency Inc.
The father of seven was a second-generation American, born to two Greek immigrants. He was active in Beaumont, especially the Greek community there. He was president of the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Port Arthur.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Katherine; his seven children, Maria Pappas, Michael, Paige, Gregory, Elyse Cokinos-Stevens, Kevin and Christopher; as well as 24 grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at St. George Orthodox Christian Church, 5311 Mercer St., Houston. The Trisagion Prayers are to immediately follow.
A funeral service is planned for 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. George Orthodox Church. The burial will follow at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, where military honors will be rendered.