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.
She had lived in North Carolina and West Virginia before moving to Paducah, Kentucky several years ago. She had worked as a Department Manager at Wal-Mart for many years and was a member of the First Christian Church in Paducah, Kentucky.
In 1950, she was married to Ralph Waldo Cossairt in Dexter, Missouri. He preceded her in death on November 8, 2003.
She is survived by one daughter, Nancy Whitley of Rocky Mount, North Carolina; one grandchild; two great grandchildren; one sister, Lora Lee Eaker of Cape Girardeau, Missouri; many nieces and nephews. Other relatives and friends also survive. She was preceded in death by one sister, Cleo Cooper, a half-sister, Wilmoth Moore and a half-brother, Lloyd Bornemann.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2013, after 9:00 am at
the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Missouri.
Funeral services will be on Tuesday December 17, 2013 at 11:00 am at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Missouri with the Rev. Jay Gottman of Paducah, Kentucky officiating.
Interment will be in the Rock Point Cemetery near Swinton, Missouri with Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield, Missouri in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.watkinsfuneralhome.com
She had lived most of her life in Poplar Bluff and lived in Bloomfield for several years. She had worked for Florsheim and Brown Shoe Companies had been a member of the Elks, Eagles and the Stoddard County Democratic Womens Club.
In December of 1953, she was married to George Walter "Chuck" Woodruff in Hernando, Mississippi. He preceded her in death on November 12, 1966.
Surviving are two daughters and husbands, Valerie & Donnie Dockins of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; Pamela and Tony Coomer of Morton, Illinois; 7 grandchildren and spouses, Jason & Susie Padgett, Nathan & Angie Padgett, Caleb Dockins, Shanna Coomer, Shane Meloy, Melissa Armstrong and Matthew Dockins; and seven great grandchildren.
Other relatives and many friends also survive. She was preceded in death by her twin sister, Reatha Putnam, two other sisters and seven brothers.
Private family services will be held with Rev. Donnie Emmons of Poplar Bluff, Missouri officiating.
Interment will be in the Dexter Cemetery in Dexter, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Missouri in charge of arrangements.
She had grown up in the Dexter and Dudley area, lived in Ellsinore for twenty years before moving to Springfield, Missouri. She graduated from Dexter High School and then earned her Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies. She had worked for Legal Services of Southwest Missouri as a paralegal. She was of the Christian faith and enjoyed pottery, martial arts, and browsing Farmer's Markets.
On August 26, 1969, she was married to Edward Kersey in Dudley, Missouri.
Surviving are her husband, Edward Kersey of Springfield, Missouri; two daughters, Mara Craig and Laura Kersey, both of Springfield; two grandchildren; one great grandchild; her parents, Thomas and Jewel Jarrell of Dudley, Missouri; two brothers, Clyde Junior Jarrell of Dexter, Missouri and Aaron Jarrell also of Dexter; two sisters, Linda Orr of Dexter, Missouri and Carol Jean Kirby of Pacific, Missouri. Other relatives and many friends also survive.
Visitation will be held on Monday, December 16, 2013 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17, 2013, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter, Missouri with Rev. Kenneth Biggs of Dexter, Missouri officiating.
Interment will be in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Missouri in charge of arrangements.
He was raised in the Bloomfield community, he moved to Bethalto, Illinois where he worked and raised his family, he retired as a machinist from Nixdorff Chain and moved to Dudley, Missouri. He was a veteran of the U. S. Air Force.
He was married to Betty Jo Crossfield in Dupo, Illinois on November 23, 1957, she preceded him in death on May 30, 2010.
Surviving are four sons, John L. Green of Brighton, Illinois, Rick Green of Dudley, Kenneth Green of Hartford, Illinois, Eric Green of East Alton, Illinois; four daughters, Vicki Dickinson and Kathy Green both of Alton, Illinois, Dawn Unterbrink of Bethalto, Illinois, Debbie Bolt of Clarksville, Tennessee; twenty-eight grandchildren; forty-eight great grandchildren; four sisters, Joyce Fleetwood of Henderson, Nevada, Shelby Monroe of Bloomfield, Judy DeMarsh of Cape Girardeau; Lois Holden of Dexter.
He was preceded in death by three children, Rosetta Olsen, Paula Green, and Gary Green; one grandson, Kenneth William Tolbert, one great grandson, Trey Richards, one sister, Doris Thomas and one brother, James L. Green.
Friends may visit on Friday, December 13, 2013, from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 13, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter, Rev. Mike Kohlbaker of Dexter officiating.
Burial in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service in charge of arrangements.
