John Cooksey

John Charles Cooksey
U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Cleo Fields
Succeeded by	Rodney Alexander
Born	August 20, 1941 Alexandria, Louisiana
Died	June 4, 2022 (aged 80)
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Ann Grabill Cooksey
Children	Three children
Residence	Monroe, Louisiana
Alma mater	Louisiana State University (Bachelor of Science) MD) University of Texas at Austin (Master of Business Administration)
Military Service
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1967-1969 Reserve 1969 to 1972

John Charles Cooksey (August 20, 1941 — June 4, 2022) was an American ophthalmologist who served from 1997 and 2003 as a Republican U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district, which encompasses much of the eastern portion of the state.

though a long-term resident of Monroe, Cooksey was born in Alexandria in Rapides Parish in Central Louisiana. He graduated from La Salle High School in Olla in LaSalle Parish, where his father operated a sawmill. He attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and received his M.D. degree from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in 1966. In 1994, he received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas in Austin. From 1967 to 1969, he served in the United States Air Force, where he was stationed in Texas and Thailand.From 1969 to 1972, he was a member of the Air Force Reserve from 1969 until 1972

Cooksey was elected to Congress in 1996 for the 5th congressional district for three terms, traditionally based in the northeastern quadrant of the state about Monroe, but since reconfigured to reach deep into southeastern Louisiana as well. Cooksey first won the seat by defeating Democratic state legislator Francis C. Thompson of Delhi in Richland Parish, a current state representative and a former state senator. Cooksey had edged past former U.S. Representative Clyde Holloway of Forest Hill in south Rapides Parish in the nonpartisan blanket primary. In that campaign, Cooksey made his three-terms-and-out pledge. As he had promised, he did not seek a fourth term in 2002 but instead ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate against the Democrat Mary Landrieu of New Orleans. After that campaign, he resumed his medical practice in Monroe.

References

.