Mary Jane Justus Cooper

Mary Jane Justus Cooper HURLEY, Va. Mary Jane Justus Cooper, 82 years of age, passed away Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at the Wellmont-Bristol Regional Medical Center, Bristol Tennessee, following an extended illness. Born in Buchanan County, she was the daughter of the late Burbage and Amanda Lester Justus. She was a lifelong resident of Buchanan County and was a member of Blackey Baptist Church. She graduated from Hurley High School, Radford State Teacher's College and received her master's and PHD from the University of Virginia. She was a loving mother, sister, and was a retired school teacher for the Buchanan County School System with over 40-years of service and was a former professor at Southwest Virginia Community College. Mrs. Cooper was preceded in death by her son, Harold E. Cooper, Feb. 13, 1974. She is survived by four sisters, Gladys Light, Bristol Virginia, Wilma Potter , Hurley, Lillian and husband Pleas Hawkins, Hurley, Frances and husband Howard McClellan, Hurley; also, survived by special friend, Phyllis Light; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by five sisters, Dora Hopkins, Ellen Hall, Bessie Griffith, Orpha Gibbs and Wanda Justus; two brothers, Raymond Justus and Marshal Justus; and two nephews, Bobby Dale Smith and Larry Ray Justus. Funeral services for Mary Jane Justus Cooper will be conducted Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010, at 2 p.m. at the Blackey Baptist Church, Blackey, Va., with Revs. Larry Stinson and Eugene Whited officiating, with entombment to follow at the Mountain Rest Mausoleum, Mountain Valley Memorial Park, Big Rock, Va. Friends may call at the Blackey Baptist Church, Blackey, Monday evening at 6 p.m., with services at 7 p.m. Active pallbearers will be nephews. Honorary pallbearers will be Pleas Hawkins, Howard McClellan, Bobby Hall and Terry Hall. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.grundyfuneralhome.com Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy, Va., is in charge of all arrangements.