Ronald Dee Cooper

Ronald Dee Cooper, 83, of Arcola, Illinois, passed away at 9:45 am on March 24, 2026, at Willow Breeze in Mattoon, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola, IL, with Rev. Seth Emerson officiating. Visitation will be held from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm prior to the service. Burial will be in Arcola Township Cemetery.

Ron was born March 28, 1942, in Robinson, Illinois, and was raised there by his parents, Edward and Jean Cooper.

He is survived by his children, Scott (Patty) Cooper of Fort Myers, Florida, J.P. (Lindsey) Young of Monticello, Illinois, Sarah (Patrick) Eades of Benton Harbor, Michigan, and Annie Young of Arcola, Illinois; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his brother, Joe (Angie) Cooper of Robinson, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Donald; and his daughter, Stacey Stumpfl.

Ron graduated from Robinson High School, Vincennes University, and Murray State University, where he played basketball, later earning a degree in Accounting. His love of basketball continued throughout his life as he coached youth basketball in Memphis and Robinson, and later coached at the junior high and high school levels in Arcola. He was also a skilled golfer and enjoyed playing in leagues at Oak Hill Country Club in Robinson and Kaskaskia Country Club in Arcola.

Ron worked as a controller for several companies across central Illinois and was well regarded for his strong financial and mathematics background. He served on several church and community boards and was a fixture at his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events, concerts, and activities.

Ron was a long-time member of the World Famous Lawn Rangers of Arcola and the Arcola United Methodist Church. He was formerly married to Jody Sanders and Tedi Jo Young.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Support Shelter – https://essberrien.org/donate