John W. Cooper Jr.

John W. Cooper, Jr., 86, of Eureka passed away in his home on 11/23/10. He was born on December 14, 1923 to Zelma and John W Cooper, Sr. He proudly attended Lafayette Elementary, Eureka Jr High and Eureka Sr High where he was the president of the senior class of 1941. He attended Humboldt State University for one year continuing on to SF College of Mortuary Science in 1943. He was a member of the US Army Air Corps MP's stationed in Utah and honorably discharged in 1945. Upon returning to Eureka, he joined his father in Cooper Mortuary. In the 1950's he added Cooper Ambulance Service along with a medical supply business and telephone answering service. In the 1980's he started Specialty Marble, and over the years obtained a real estate and contractor's license and enjoyed being a ham radio operator WB6QWG. He also had been an instructor for First Aid at Red Cross. In 1966 he "retired" from the mortuary to attend Lincoln Law School, graduating with honors in 1970 after being on the Law Review Staff. He practiced law in Eureka until 1988 specializing in family law. After "retiring" again in 1988, he affiliated himself with the Estate Plan Living Trusts and handled trusts until his health forced him to "finally retire" this past year. John served as Eureka City Councilman, 2nd Ward 1949-1950, was a past director of California Funeral Directors, a Kiwanis member for over 20 years and on the Salvation Army Board for 35 years. He was an original member of the Eureka Housing Authority, serving 16 years. He was also past president of Eureka Jr. Chamber of Commerce, past officer of American Legion and Disabled America Veterans and served on the board of Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in the 1980's. Over the years he has been a member of Baywood Country Club, Ingomar Club, Six Rivers Lodge 106, F & AM, Scottish Rite, Shrine, Past Patron, Order of Eastern Star and BPOE 652. In his "retirement" he truly enjoyed being a member of SCOP and a Shriner clown known as "Buttons" in local parades. John was preceded in death by his first wife, Rose Marie; his parents, sister Jean and brother-in-law, Claude Crawford, along with nephew Mike Crawford. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Laverne; children and spouses Susan and Dane Strong of Bolivar, MO; J. David and Linda Cooper of Nacogdoches, TX; Stephen Cooper of Portland, OR; Gary and Nicole Cooper of Eureka, CA; and Tauna and Phil Evans of Seattle, WA; step- children Arlene Guerrero of Gualala, CA; Bobby Nunes of Rohnert Park, CA; and Caroline Nunes of St John's in the US Virgin Islands. He was grandfather to Devin, Jennifer, Eliot, Catherine, Nathan, Nicholas and great grand-father to Peyton. He was also step-grandfather to Quentin, Russell, Felicia, Gina, Marcus, Che, Devin, Marco and step-great-grandfather to Talon, Treyce, Kainoa, Kaden, Jasmine and Andre. The family would like to thank the staff from Hospice of Humboldt: Sandi Cearley for her help in John's final months and Carl Zapf for his friendship and assistance for over 30 years. And in his dreams, Olga and Hilda. Memorial services will be held Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 11:00 AM, at the Elks Lodge, 445 Herrick Avenue, Eureka, California. Arrangements are under the direction of Goble's Fortuna Mortuary, Fortuna, California. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners Hospital, 2425 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, California 95817, Hospice of Humboldt, 2010 Myrtle Ave., Eureka, California or the Redwood Shrine Joker Clowns, P.O. Box 51, Fortuna, California. Please sign the guest book at www.Times-Standard.com, click obits.