Carl E Cookson

He owned one of the most successful real estate title companies in Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Land Title Co. He was born in San Jose to a father who worked as a truck driver for Langendorf Bakeries and a mother who was a housemaid. His father died when Carl was 9 and his mother had a problem with alcohol, so he was reared by his sister in Salinas. After serving in the U.S. Army and studying at Hartnell College, he enrolled at San Jose State, working at American Can Co. and driving a laundry truck for California Cleaners. He obtained his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1957. Cookson spent 10 years at Valley Title Co., then became a 50-percent partner in Santa Clara Land Title Co. In 1986, he bought out partner Wayne Hone. The company grew into at times the second largest title company in the valley, and then in 1997, Cookson sold to the Denver-based United Title Cos. Group. United is the largest title agency in the United States. With another acquisition in 1998, Cookson became chairman of Financial Title, part of the United group. Survived by: Wife, Sharron of San Jose; son, Carl P. Cookson, and daughters Cathy Lefeber, Chris Prodis, and Cary Colleran, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.