Guy Cooper

Guy Evan Cooper, beloved father and husband, died after a short illness on October 26th, 2025. He was predeceased by his wife of 48 years Lela Rebecca Cooper and his younger brother Ric Cooper. He is survived by his son George, son-in-law Justin, sisters-in-law Georgiana, Meredith and Deborah, nieces and nephews Giles, Sophie, D’arcy, Justus, Lara, and Matthew. He is also survived by many loving cousins, including Julia, Francis, and Charlotte.

It is also very important that some of Guy’s wide circle of friends in the Hudson Valley be mentioned, whom he doted on and who provided him with unfathomable amounts of support in the years after his wife Lela’s passing and beyond. Rose, Tony & Monique, Evelyn, Betsy & Ricky, Vic, Sarah & Tony, Fran, and Jeff – Guy loved you all and thought of you as his family.

As the tributes flow in, it is wonderful to hear from all the people whose lives were affected by Guy. While he was widely known for his razor-sharp wit, humor, and intelligence, he will be remembered most for the deep love, generosity, and compassion he felt for his family and friends. Guy's passing is a loss that none of us will ever fully recover from.

Born in London and raised primarily in Sussex, Guy survived an education within the English boarding school system which instilled in him both a strong aversion to institutional hypocrisy and a love of blues and rock n’ roll. Guy’s early years were marked by the tragic passing of his own father, noted playwright Giles Stannus Cooper, at only 48 years old. This forced him to grow up very quickly. While he did not have much by way of a formal education beyond the age of 18, his intellect and good instincts served him well throughout his entire life. He always paid his dues, and because of this developed both a keen eye for photography and the goodwill of nearly all who worked with him. He worked for the BBC, Camera Press, Contact Press Images, and finally Newsweek magazine, where he worked first as a photo editor and later as the Director of International Photography from 1979 to 2001. He would then lend his expertise to Corbis before retiring in 2007.

Guy was well-traveled, extremely well-read, a great guitarist and a fantastic cook. However, he would be the first to tell you that his greatest accomplishment happened in 1971, when he married Lela. This was the first and only marriage for either of them and resulted in many happy years, a son, and heaps of laughter. While they loved and were greatly loved by their biological families, they also adored and were adored by their chosen family of friends and neighbors. They were always willing to help a friend in need, even if that meant just lending a nonjudgmental ear.

Guy loved good food, a hilarious movie, trivia and open mic nights, the songs of Richard Thompson, and the many dogs that entered and left his orbit. Hopefully he knows that his own dear dog Josie will be adored and well looked after for the rest of her life. Guy was a kind soul and a generous human. We will love and miss him forever.