Victim in fatal crash near Ellicott remembered as selfless, caring - Colorado Springs Gazette
Phil Cooley, an Air Force veteran and Calhan resident who died in a car crash near Ellicott this week, was remembered Thursday night as gentle, selfless, caring and a loving husband and father with a passion for cars. "He really was the kind of person who was involved in the community," said friend and colleague Dan Mosqueda, who lives in Colorado Springs. Mosqueda, 48, said he and Cooley were stationed at Peterson Air Force base together. Cooley joined the Air Force in 1986 and was active duty up until 1999. He retired as a reservist in 2010. Mosqueda and Cooley shared a love of cars, and Cooley had recently emailed him about going to racing school at Pikes Peak International Raceway. com, owner and publisher Michael Benolkin said Cooley was the auto editor and coordinator for the site. Cooley also was a member of the Riviera Owner's Association and had a Buick Riviera he was struggling to restore, Mosqueda said. After retiring from the Air Force, Cooley transitioned into becoming a civil servant at Air Force Space Command headquarters, said Mosqueda, who organized the retirement ceremony. Officials with Air Force Space Command said Cooley worked as a GPS requirements manager. Cooley was driving home from work when. Source: gazette.com
