Bill C. Cooper

William “Bill” Cecil Cooper, son of the late Frederick Arthur and Edna Nora (Hensley) Cooper, was born on January 28, 1916 in Summersville, Missouri, and departed this life on February 18, 2007 in the Autumn Oaks Caring Center in Mtn. Grove, Missouri, following a long illness. He was 91 years and 20 days of age.
Bill grew up in Texas County and served in the Civilian Conservation Corp for two years, where he honed his skills in operating heavy equipment. He ran heavy equipment from age 13 to age 85. Bill was united in marriage to Velma Varnell on November 11, 1938 in Cabool, Missouri. Two daughters were born to this union. Velma passed away on May 10, 1955.
He was later married to Helen Fish on October 23, 1957 in Senatobia, Mississippi. Four children were born to this union.
Bill loved his family very much and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was saved in February 2005 and attended the Southside Baptist Church faithfully until his health started failing.
He enjoyed being outdoors coon hunting and he was an avid horseman, who enjoyed shoeing, breaking, riding, training, and showing horses over the years.
Besides his parents and his first wife, he was preceded in death by two infant daughters: Carolyn Sue and Gina Helen Cooper; three brothers: Arville, Elmer, and Fred Cooper; and by four sisters: Mary Winner, Ruth Poland, Alice Kamping, and Rose Ford.
Survivors include his loving wife: Helen Cooper of the home; one son, Tony Cooper and his wife, Lynn of Wasilla, Alaska; three daughters: Fern Sanders and her husband, Rich of Mtn. Grove, Ramona Andrus and her husband, Don of Cabool, Missouri, and Lisa Johnson and her husband, David of West Plains, Missouri; one sister, Gladys Wensenk and her husband, Fred of Burns, Oklahoma; ten grandchildren: Steve Sanders, Jan Whitehill, Cindy Bradshaw, Autumn Hardy, Patrice Fast, Brandon Andrus, Kevin and Chris Johnson, and Jackson and Saylor Cooper; four great-grandchildren: Travis Sanders, Dillon Moody, Jamie and Jared Whitehill; and a host of other relatives and friends who will sadly miss him.


Visitation: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel.
Service: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at 2:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel.
Interment: Lonestar Cemetery
Memorials/Donations: Regional Hospice or Gideons