Fallen Heroes
The Craig Sheriff’s Office remembers the following deputies who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty:
Sean Freedom Cookson
2/27/2017
Sean Freedom Cookson died on Feb. 27, 2017, from injuries sustained five days earlier while he was involved in a vehicle crash while en route to a mandatory training in Tahlequah.
His vehicle was involved in a four-car crash at the intersection of Highway 82 and Gideon Road, in Cherokee County. He was transported to a local hospital before being flown to St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa. He remained hospitalized until succumbing to his injuries.
Deputy Cookson served with the Craig County Sheriff’s Office for only one month. He was 23 years, five months and 15 days old. He was survived by his wife, Cassandra.
A native of Tahlequah, he played basketball for Tahlequah High School. After graduating in 2012, he attended college at Northeastern State University, also in Tahlequah.
While at NSU he played tuba and trombone in the band and was the school mascot, “Rowdy the Riverhawk.” He also worked as an office aid in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education. He also was active and competed in the Mock Court at NSU.
Cookson and his wife married on June 4, 2016. He took his first job in law enforcement on Feb. 1, 2017, when he joined the Craig County Sheriff’s Office. He was excited to start this new career and was well-liked by his “blue family.”
An avid sportsman, he especially liked camping and hiking, as well as playing with his dogs Lady Lou and Jessie Bear.
In addition to his wife, survivors include: his mother Cindi Hoopingarner and husband Paul of Tahlequah; his father Jeff Cookson of Tahlequah; his grandparents, Darlene Cookson of Tahlequah, Stan Hatasaka of Long Beach, California, and Nancy Shouse of Tahlequah; four brothers, Richard Cookson of Tahlequah, Robert Michaelson and wife Sara of North Bend, Oregon, Ryan Michaelson and wife Crystal of Phoenix, Arizona and Dylan Cookson of Tahlequah; one sister Kristen Cookson of Tahlequah; his mother-in-law Colleen Harman and husband Jack of Big Cabin and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Sonny Cookson, Sally Hatasaka and Rodney Wright.