John J. Cocayne

John J. Cocayne “Bud”, age 88 departed this world to start his next journey on October 17th at 6:55 AM. He is now reunited with his loving family and friends along with his beloved companion, “Gumba” Sadeegirl, who never left his side. He was a kind and loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend that was loved by all. He could always make you laugh or give you a smile whether you needed it or not.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, October 27, 2023, at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road where a funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Linwood Cemetery with military honors by the Dubuque Marine Corps League and the Iowa Army National Guard. A livestream of the service may be found at Leonard Funeral Home’s Facebook page.

He was a very patriotic man who loved his country. He served a total of 29 years as an Infantry Staff Sergeant in the Army National Guard (The Red Bull) and as a Mess Management Specialist 1st Class Petty Officer in the Naval Reserves on the LST 1185 Schenectady. John was an excellent Chef and his culinary skills were enjoyed by many. He always enjoyed gathering with friends and family to share a great meal. He even entered the 41st annual chicken cooking contest and won for the state of Iowa.  His recipe for Chicken Rollover Delights was loved by many and went on to be published in The Chicken Cookbook.

 John had a passion for travel, going on many cruises and traveling the world with his loving wife “Bwide” Janet. He was the bravest of the two and would try anything once… maybe twice. One of his favorite places to travel to was Europe.

 John worked in the sales industry as a cabinet and millwork salesman. He had a knack for it and could sell a block of ice to an Eskimo. If you didn’t need anything before you met him, you did before he walked out the door. If his body was as spry as his mind, he would still be doing it to this day.            

 He had a love for motorcycles and owned several throughout his 35 or more years of riding. He wasn’t partial to any brand although his favorite was his Harley Softtail. This took him on many adventures across the U.S. with his “Bwide” in tow.  

 He was an influencer when it came to running.  Even if you hated it in the beginning, he would encourage you to try it. Some continuing and coming to love it! He enjoyed golfing and once actually shot a hole in one at the Lacoma Golf Course! He was a perfectionist, always active and very competitive regardless of the activity.

He had a love for history and had a passion for anything related to WWII.

For all the lives he touched, he will be missed but not forgotten. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 42 years; Janet M.(Person) Cocayne, daughters Laurie (Whitney) Patterson and Lisa (Mitch) Peterson, stepson Scott (Lynn) Resch, seven grandchildren, one great-granddaughter, multiple nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law Pat Cocayne, Jerrie Cheffer, Meg (Ian Grunberg) Devine, JoAnn (Doc Muhlbaier) Lutz, and brother-in-law Jerry Riha and John (Shirley) Person.

He was preceded in death by his parents John M. and Mildred C. (Lehnerts) Cocayne; brothers Marvin (Shirley) Cocayne, James A. Cocayne, Dale A. Cocayne, three sisters in infancy, his twin Gale A. Cocayne, Shirley A. Cocayne, and Joann M. Cocayne, three sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law.

This isn’t the final chapter. Until we meet again…

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.