GEORGE WILLIAM COOPER Jr.

1956 - 2020

COOPER, George William Jr. Passed away unexpectedly on July 23 at his Townsend home at age 63. George was born August 20, 1956 in Roxbury to the late George W. and Rosalie (Cavelius) Cooper and grew up in Dorchester. He attended the former Don Bosco Technical High School in Boston, where he developed an interest in electronics. After graduating, he continued to develop his knowledge and skills during a more than four-decade long career in computer engineering activities with particular expertise in systems security. Working for Digital Equipment Corporation and Wang Laboratories, among other organizations, those skills led him to sites around the country and even to Europe, Africa and the Orient, installing, testing and repairing systems specifically designed to process classified information. Beginning in his teen years, George developed a lifelong devotion to the Drum Corps movement. He started playing the clarinet with St. Peter's Parish band in grammar school and then in his high school years he moved on to brass instruments with the Boston Crusaders. After "aging out" at 22, he continued to volunteer his time and talent to the Crusaders, regularly serving as an equipment vehicle driver for many of the corps' national trips. George is survived by a brother, Peter, and his wife Patricia of Needham, by a sister, Lee Butler, of Somersworth, NH, by nephews Michael Butler, Mark Butler and Jonathan Cooper, and niece Jennifer Marr, as well as by two grandnephews and three grandnieces. Funeral Services will be private. Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, 47 Fairmont Avenue, Hyde Park, MA 02136. Expressions of condolences to the family may be made at www.gormleyfuneral.com William J. Gormley Funeral Service 617-323-8600