FRANK COOKINPHAE

Eay 6, 1941 - February 8, 2023

Frank passed away at Pomona Valley Hospital from heart failure on February 8th at the age of 81. He was a beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and friend. He was preceded in death by his brother Clint, and is survived by his wife of 57 years Marsha, his three sons Bryan, Shaun, and Jonah, three daughters-in-law Angela, Christy, and Teresa, and his seven grandchildren, Steven and Marissa, Kirsten, Allissa, and Seaerra, Ariah and Isaiah.

Frank was born to Mary Catherine Gegenheimer and Owen Clinton Cookingham on May 6, 1941 in Saginaw, Michigan. He attended Michigan St. and Western Michigan University and completed the master program in research and statistics. He later received his EDD in Community Education. He moved to Ohio in 1979 and became a professor at Kent State University in the education department. In 1985 he got an opportunity for his dream job as an evaluator at World Vision International, a Christian non-profit organization. He took the leap and moved to Chino, CA with his wife and family and worked there till his retirement in 2011.

During his time with World Vision he visited more than 40 countries doing humanitarian work involving relief and development while improving the lives of children and families across the globe. Frank had a particular fondness and connection to Africa and its many different cultures and traditions.

He and Marsha moved to Claremont in 2009 and lived there until his death. He was a devoted member of the Claremont United Methodist Church. Frank loved math and numbers and enjoyed doing sudoku, was a student of the Bible, played the accordion, and loved to sing including being a member of the Mountainside Master Chorale for a time.

Services will be held at the Claremont United Methodist Church at 1:00 pm on April 22nd. He will have a private burial at Oak Park Cemetery. Donations can be made in his honor to the church at claremontumc.org