Brent Cooper, son of Jerry Cooper and Charlotte Johnson Cooper of Bloomfield, Missouri was born on August 1, 1961 in Dexter, Missouri and departed this life on December 10, 2013 in Mexico at the age of 52 years.
Mr. Cooper was the Vice President of U.S. Poly Enterprises Inc. in Dexter, Missouri and a resident of Bloomfield. Brent had many hobbies and interests throughout the years including obtaining his pilot’s license to fly a complex aircraft, teaching himself how to play the guitar and playing with two different contemporary gospel bands in the early 1980’s.
He built a 1968 Camaro Street Machine which won 11 trophies in 12 different car shows, and restored a 1946 model Luscombe tail dragger airplane. Brent later turned a 1996 GMC Safari Van into a replica of the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine which was later featured in multiple local parades and fund raisers.
He helped to establish the first Southeast Missouri no kill animal sanctuary that continued for 7 years, as well as aided in the establishment of the Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in Jackson, Missouri. Most recently Brent became certified in scuba diving in 2005 and made PADI Master Diver several years later. He went on to become a certified cave diver and was later certified with the Cave Rebreather on the Optima, and also trained in Advanced Trimix for deep diving.
He mastered underwater photography and was in the process of learning how to shoot and edit underwater videography. It was Brent’s dream to have a career in underwater photography and videography in addition to cave exploration.
On July 17, 2010 he was united in marriage to Cathy Ann Bozic in Bloomfield, Missouri. Mrs. Cooper survives of the home in Bloomfield.
Besides his parents, Jerry and Charlotte Cooper and wife Cathy Ann Cooper all of Bloomfield, Missouri, survivors include one step-son, Josh Webb and wife Tara of De Soto, Illinois; one step-daughter, Shannon Somers and husband Justin of Carbondale, Illinois; by four step- grandchildren, Troy and Haley Somers of Carbondale, Illinois and Sylvia and Adam Webb of De Soto, Illinois; also by Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, and many friends.
Friends may call at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. Saturday December 21, 2013.
Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday December 21, 2013 at 1:00 P.M. at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Dwight Hensley officiating.
Interment will follow in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in rural Bloomfield.
Family has requested that memorials be made to Metro World Child, P. O. Box 695, Brooklyn, New York 11237. Envelopes will be provided in the funeral home office.
