Maggie Cooper

Family-Placed Obituary


COOPER, Maggie The trademarks of Maggie Cooper's life had been hard work, her loyalty to her sons and a love of competitive sports. At the end of a long, hard-fought battle with leukemia, her sons were at her side to attest to their appreciation of her love and work on their behalf. Margaret Kintzel Cooper died Friday afternoon at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati of complications arising from a successful bone marrow transplant in June at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. She was 58. A long-time resident of Oxford, Maggie was born in Springfield, Ohio, to Paul and Gladys Kintzel. She lived her early years in Yellow Springs and was graduated from the first graduating class of Yellow Springs High School in 1964. In the year following graduation she studied to be a Linotype operator and took a job at the Oxford Press, where she still is remembered fondly. A broken marriage left her with two young sons, one less than a year old. Maggie took the challenge with all the energy and drive she had shown playing as a hard-nosed infielder in women's softball leagues. In addition to introducing her sons to t-ball and other competitive sports, Maggie decided to pursue more education. She received an associate's degree in applied science in 1986 from Miami University and a bachelor's degree in business in 1992, also from Miami. Her advanced education led her to employment with Miami University where she became a systems coordinator at the Information Technology Services Department. She enjoyed many friendships formed not only at work but also through her involvement with an informal Scrabble club, the Oxford ADT Running Club, the Sierra Club, a cycling group and hiking. She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Oxford. Maggie ran several times in the State-to-State Marathon. This fall the race was dedicated to her and $1,200 was raised for cancer research. The dedicated group from work, other loyal friends from Oxford and relatives volunteered their time and resources as caregivers to get Maggie through 100 days of around-the-clock assistance in Seattle in connection with the bone-marrow transplant. Maggie was overwhelmed by the dedication of her friends during that period. Maggie is survived by her sons, Randy, an assistant professor at Indiana State University in Terra Haute, IN, and Tim, an assistant football coach at Miami University; her sister, Polly Kintzel, of Grand Rapids, MI, her brother, Roger, of Atlanta, GA and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her mother and father and a younger sister, Anne. A visitation followed by a short prayer service will be held Thursday between 4 and 7 p.m. at the Smith & Ogle Funeral Home at 101 W. Church St., Oxford. The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made in her memory to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Contributions J5-200, P. O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109-1024. Online contributions can be made at www.fhcrc.org.