Robert L. Cooper Jr.'s Obituary
COOPER, JR., ROBERT L. If he had chosen the place to leave this life, it couldn’t have been better than in Glorieta, NM, a place he called, ‘a little bit of heaven on earth’. Coop left us on Monday, March 17, 2008 at 8pm. He was known as R.L., Bob or Coop to many friends all over the country. Cooper was born June 30, 1922, to R.L. and Effie Cooper of Edgewood, TX and was the youngest of six children. He grew up in Hunt County and attended high school in West Texas at Phillips. After receiving a football scholarship to Baylor University where he played for two years, he joined the Marine Corps during WW II. During that time, he played football for the Pre-OCS Group at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. It was a proud moment when he threw the winning touchdown in the 1944 Sun Bowl Game against the University of New Mexico. After serving with the Marines in China for one year, he returned to Baylor University in 1946. It was there he met and married the love of his life, Margaret Sue Anderson, his wife of 60 years. Coop was an ordained deacon in the Baptist church and a 32nd degree Mason for more than 50 years. After retirement, he and Sue worked at the Lifeway Glorieta Conference Center, where he was the host of the dining room for the past 30 years. Because of his faithfulness and love for the ministry for people young and old, a life-sized bronze statue of Coop was installed at the entrance of the Glorieta dining hall and was dedicated to him in 2002 on his 80th birthday. Coop is survived by his wife, Sue; a son, Robert L. Cooper III and wife Jean-Ann of Dallas; a daughter, Claire Black and husband Clyde of Lovelady, TX. He leaves grandchildren Kim and Jeff Mauser, Ryan and Katie Cooper, Drew Cooper and Ashley and Justin Krajca, and two great-grandchildren, Nicole and Luke Mauser. Also surviving, are sisters-in-law, Nancy Thurmond and husband, Jim, of Ft. Worth and Bonita Cooper of Greenville, TX plus many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be at Restland Funeral Home on Friday, March 21st from 6-8 pm. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 22nd at 2 pm in the Sanctuary of Park Cities Baptist Church located at 3933 Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75225. A reception will follow in Fellowship Hall. Memorial gifts may be made to Baylor Letterman’s Association Scholarship Fund, 150 Bear Run, Waco, TX 76711 or Buckner International, 600 Pearl Street, Dallas, TX 75201.
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