Terry Lynn Cooper's Obituary
Terry Lynn Cooper passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 26, 2025, at the T. Boone Pickens Hospice Care Center in Dallas, Texas. Her children were by her side, holding her hands as she took her final breaths following a courageous 35-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She was 74.
Born in Evansville, Indiana, on February 13, 1951, to Irving LeVine and Lois Elaine (Gholson) LeVine, Terry grew up surrounded by strong family ties and lifelong friends, which created a deep sense of tradition and a heart full of care for others.
She graduated from Bosse High School in Evansville, IN, Class of 1969, and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in education from Indiana University, where she was also a proud member of Sigma Delta Tau.
When she was pregnant with their first child, Terry and her husband made their way to Richardson, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), so he would be born a Texan. She became one of many Evansville family members to settle in the area. In Richardson, she raised her family, built lasting friendships, and created an open and joyful home, full of warmth and laughter. Her love for family was fierce, loyal, and unconditional. She was the quiet strength behind countless treasured moments, family trips, and lasting memories.
Terry also poured her passion and patience into a fulfilling career as a special education elementary school teacher. With an educator’s soul and a caregiver’s heart, she touched countless lives - often in ways that extended well beyond the classroom.
Terry will be remembered for her infectious laugh, the kind that could fill a room and make everyone feel welcome. Her sweet disposition and radiant smile left a lasting impression wherever she went.
She was a lifelong dog lover and is surely now reunited with her beloved, sweet golden retriever, Suzy, and her hilarious, slobbering, and stubborn English bulldog, Otis. We imagine her running freely along a sunny beach, pain-free at last, sharing laughter with her beloved mother, Lois.
Terry is preceded in death by her mother, Lois E. Levin, and stepmother, Virginia D. LeVine. She is survived by her son, Grant S. Cooper, and his wife Negeen; her daughter, Jessica L. (Cooper) Melker, and her husband Keith; and her five treasured grandchildren: Avery and her husband Nate, Addison, Hayden, Payson, and Madison - all of whom live in the Dallas area. She is also survived by her 103-year-old father, Irving LeVine, and her younger brother, Barry LeVine, and his wife Debbie, who all reside in Evansville, Indiana. She leaves behind a large extended family and a wide circle of friends, especially her cherished fellow teachers and childhood friends - all of whom she loved dearly.
Terry’s legacy is one of compassion, resilience, humor, and a deep belief in caring for others - values she lived by and passed down to her children and grandchildren.
Terry chose cremation, and her family will honor those wishes, along with a Celebration of Life memorial, incorporating elements of Jewish tradition, her love of flowers, the beach, 80s music, and, above all, family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a cause close to the family’s heart.
Terry L Cooper - National MS Society Memorial Fund
Celebration of Life:
Friday, July 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM
Restland Memorial Chapel
13005 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75243
A reception will follow at Grant and Negeen Cooper’s home in Richardson.
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