Anne LaFaye "Faye" Dasher Cooper

Faye Cooper

Anne LaFaye "Faye" Dasher Cooper, 91, of St. Simons Island, and formerly of Albany, peacefully entered eternal rest on Dec. 6, 2025 at Hospice of the Golden Isles, in Brunswick.

In her final days, she was surrounded by family who held her in love and light.

Faye was born on July 28, 1934 to John Lawrence Dasher and Jewell Wallace Dasher, in Valdosta. She attended Valdosta public schools and graduated with honors from Valdosta High School in 1951. She also attended Valdosta State College (now VSU).

She moved to Atlanta in 1953 and worked for seven years as a secretary for Southern Bell and as a legal secretary for the firm of Crenshaw, Hansell, Ware, Brandon and Dorsey. After moving to Albany in 1962, she worked as a medical secretary for three years.

In 1966, Faye was employed by the Georgia Department of Human Resources. After working in various state agencies for 24 years, she retired from the Dougherty County Department of Family and Children Services, where she was a casework supervisor.

In 1969, she married Charles Lester "Bill" Cooper of Early County, the absolute love of her life.

While working full time, Faye returned to college in the 1970s and received her associate degree from Albany Junior College (Darton), graduating magna cum laude. She then continued her education at Albany State College and received her sociology degree in 1979, graduating summa cum laude.

Faye was an active member of First Christian Church in Albany, where she served for 25 years as a deacon. She also held several other offices including two terms as board chairman and president of the Christian Women's Fellowship.

In addition, she was a proud member of the Thronateeska Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a lifetime member of the Georgia Salzburger Society. Faye also enjoyed being a member of the DFACS Survivors, and was a former member of the Albany Chorale Guild and the Symphony Guild. She enjoyed all types of music and said that she often relieved stress by playing her piano.

To Faye, other than her strong Christian faith, the most important thing to her was being available to her two daughters, Anne and Evelyn, as well as her five grandchildren. She loved them wholly and unceasingly. Faye loved to have a good laugh and she could find humor in almost any situation, which was truly endearing.

Faye was an incredibly loving and supportive "Nana" as she was known by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her grandchildren have countless fond memories of time spent with her and their grandfather "Bill" who took them on many special trips, attended many of their milestone events and took care of them at their home in Albany during the summer months and holidays. They will always remember their grandparents' home as a peaceful and loving environment, where time seemed to slow down and one could listen to the cicadas on the swing in the backyard.

Faye had a touchingly kind heart and faithfully donated to several worthwhile causes, especially ones that involved children in need, such as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Faye was preceded in death by her beloved husband of over 50 years, Charles "Bill" Lester Cooper; and her mother and father.

Survivors are her daughters, Anne Finney Dekle (Clyde) of St. Simons Island and Evelyn Finney Coursey (Tony) of Tucker. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Leigh Anne Wallace of Atlanta, Laura Haley Mentore (George) of Charlottesville, Virginia, Allison Reeves Jolley of Carson City, Nevada, Adina Nickerson (Cordele) of Winston Salem, North Carolina, and Lenell Coursey of Atlanta. Her three great-grandchildren are Kamina Mentore, Elka Mentore and Kyleigh Anne Straub. She is also survived by her loving brother and sister-in-law, Tyner and Mary Jean Cooper of Early County.

The funeral for Faye will be held at 1p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at Mathews Funeral Home in Albany, with visitation immediately preceding at noon.

Mathews Funeral Home, in Albany, is in charge of the arrangements.

Family-placed obituary

The Brunswick News, December 12, 2025