Charles Mary Cooper

Charles Mary Cooper, 91, of Stillwater, died Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, in Stillwater. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church with Father Kenneth J. Harder officiating. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens. A rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Strode Funeral Home Chapel. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.He was born Oct. 26, 1916, in Hennessey, to Charles Herman Cooper and Angela Mary (Greiner) Cooper. His middle name was given in honor of Jesus’ mother and he was the third generation of Greiner’s to keep that tradition. The family moved to Stillwater in 1923, where he attended Saint Francis Xavier Parochial School until the eighth grade. He attended one year in Saint Gregory’s before graduating from Stillwater High School in 1935. He worked in his father’s harness shop where he also repaired and sold bicycles. When his father became terminally ill, he operated a bicycle shop behind the family home at 620 S. West Street. He attended Oklahoma A and M College where he was a charter member of Theta Kappa Phi, a Catholic/Christian fraternity who later changed their name to Kappa Phi Theta. He then enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served from 1943 until 1945 during World War II. While he was in the service, his mother and sisters rented bicycles to residents and service men and women stationed in Stillwater. He returned from the service and used the G.I. Bill to build a building at 220 S. Main Street, adding locksmithing and motorcycles to the business. At that time, he was an active member of the Exchange Club, Foresters, Junior Chamber of Commerce and Stillwater Road Knights (motorcycle club). He married Mary Ellen Jane Townsend May 24, 1952, in Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church. In 1968, he opened a motorcycle shop at 412 E. Ninth Avenue; he later moved it to 202 S. Main Street before finally closing it in 1988. The bicycle shop remained at 220 S. Main Street Cooper’s Locksmith, under his son’s and daughter’s direction, first moved to 222 S. Main Street and later to 228 S. Main Street. He was active in attending bicycle, locksmith and motorcycle conventions. After his retirement, he attended these conventions in other states, traveling by motor home. He made two trips to Europe with Catholic groups to visit shrines. He was a member of the 4th degree Knights of Columbus and the American Legion. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Joe Cooper and George Cooper; two sisters, Angela Turney and Evelyn Logue and one infant son, Thomas Cooper. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen Cooper, of Stillwater; four daughters, four sons, 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren, which are as follows: Children, Mary Ann and Wesley Cash, Linda and Billy Bartram, Gail and Robert Fritsche, all of Stillwater, Loretta Cooper of Oklahoma City, Chuck and Stephanie Cooper, Ralph and Cindy Cooper, Guy and Wanda Cooper, all of Stillwater and James and Jen Cooper of Texas; grandchildren, Cindy Shewmake, Angie Cash, Kenny Bartram, Jenny Redden, Jessica Redden, Trey Cooper, Dennis Hotson, Emily Cooper, Nicolas Cooper, Marina Cooper and Kaitlin Cooper; great grandchildren, Becky Brooner, Dylan Cooper, Allyson Cooper and Trinity Cooper; one sister, Rose Duffle of Stillwater and many nieces and nephews.Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Judith Karman Hospice, P.O. Box 818, Stillwater, OK 74076.Condolences may be e-mailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.