WINDSOR, VT -

Dana Cooley, 65, a longtime resident of Windsor, passed away peacefully, Wednesday morning, June 16 at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, following a courageous two year struggle with esophageal carcinoma.

He was born June 4, 1956 in Hartford, CT the son of Kenneth C. and Frieda B. (Mills) Cooley. He received his education in Windsor, where he excelled in track and field and graduated from Windsor High School in 1975. Following his graduation he moved to St. Albans where he  was employed at a dairy farm. Dana returned to Windsor in 1980 and began his employment with the Windsor Cemetery Association. In 1987 he became the head sexton of the Ascutney Cemetery and proudly continued to maintain the cemetery until his illness sadly would no longer allow it.
He was a longtime and active member of the Sons of the American Legion Post #25 and was currently serving as Commander. He greatly enjoyed volunteering at many legion functions, including community dinners, calling the numbers at Bingo, and enjoyed playing cards with his many "adopted" mothers.
He was an avid Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan.
Dana will be remembered for his gentle, kind, and caring nature and his willingness to help his family and his many friends. His presence and devotion to his parents allowed them to stay in their home until their passing, his mother in 2010 and his father in 2013.
Survivors include two brothers, Doug Cooley of Windsor and Ken Cooley, Jr. of Williston, one sister, Cindy Trent and her husband Brad, of Bountiful, UT, and their two children, Dustin of Austin, TX and Ellie of Bountiful, his nephew, Dan Cooley and his three daughters, Clementine, Penelope and Gwyneth, all of South Pasadena, CA, one sister in law, Judy Cooley of Shelburne, many cousins, including Linda and Bobby Dion of Claremont, NH and their two daughters, Terri and Rene.
Friends are invited to gather Wednesday evening, June 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Knight Funeral Home in Windsor. A celebration of Dana's life will begin at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 24 at the American Legion Post #25 in Windsor. A private committal service will be held at the convenience of his family in the Ascutney Cemetery in Windsor. Memorial contributions may be made to Sons of the American Legion, Memo; Toys for Tots at 4 Court Street, Windsor, VT 05089. His family wishes to acknowledge and sincerely thank the staff of the Visiting Nurse and Hospice of VT and NH and the staff at the Jack Byrne Center for their devotion, kindness, and the comfort they provided to Dana during his long illness.