HOWARD COOPER

COOPER--Howard Morton, Mortgage Broker, Dies at 83. Howard Cooper, a long time mortgage broker, died peacefully at Ellis Hospital in Niskayuna, New York on Monday. He was 83 and lived in New York City and East Hampton, NY. His daughter, Dr. Karen Cooper, said the direct cause of death was mild heart failure after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Howard Cooper was born in Mt. Vernon, NY on August 21, 1926 to Samuel and Clara Cooper, both Russian immigrants. He was the youngest of four children. After graduating high school he attended Iona College in New Rochelle, NY and left to enlist in the Army in 1945. He served our country as an airplane crew chief with the 25th Tactical Reconnaisance Squadron at Itami Army Air Base in Osaka, Japan. He was responsible for the repair and maintenance of P-51s. Thus began his love of airplanes and flying. In 1947 he returned from the Army with an honorable discharge and began working with his father, Sam, as a salesman at Junior Formals, Inc. In 1951 he went to work with his father-in-law the late and well-loved Nathan J. Sonnenblick at Sonnenblick-Goldman Corp who taught him the business of mortgage brokerage which became one of the true loves of his life. In 1964 Howard co founded Cooper-Horowitz, Inc. which became one of the top respected powerhouses in the Mortgage Brokerage business. His love of airplanes took him soaring to the sky as a pilot in his Cessna and he always found peace at his house in East Hampton, NY where he enjoyed gardening and walks on the beach. His children and grandchildren were a great source of pleasure and he always wanted to be a part of their lives. He will be deeply missed by his children, Peter, Karen and Neal; their spouses, Denny Allen and Jody; his grandchildren, Sasha, Joshua, Casey and Caroline. "The Chief" as he was known to so many touched every one's life who had the great fortune to meet him and will always be remembered for his charismatic personality and love of life. A celebration of life will be Thursday, July 15th at The Riverside, 76th St. and Amsterdam Ave at 11:30am. Interrment will be a 4pm reception at Bobby Vans on 46 St. and Park Ave. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America at alzfdn.org.