Othaniel Cooper

1985 - 2014

Othaniel Cooper passed away on July 19, 2014, at his home in Kenai after a long and difficult battle with depression and mental illness.
Othaniel was born on January 12, 1985, in Indianapolis, Indiana. His family relocated to the west coast when he was a year old and Othaniel spent his early years in Washington and Oregon before moving with his family to Hyder in 1998.
Othaniel attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks on a full-scholarship and met his wife-to-be during his freshman year of college. Othaniel and Krystal married in January 2004, celebrating with family and friends in both British Columbia and Alaska. Their family grew with the births of Nekoda Anastasia in January 2005, Elijah Malachi in December 2006, Brock Rand in September 2009 and Arlo Atlas in June 2012.
Othaniel enlisted in the Alaska Air National Guard in December 2005. He attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and tech schools at Keesler Air Force Base and Shepherd Air Force Base, where he was an honor graduate. Othaniel returned home to Alaska where he served full-time with the 168th Air Refueling Wing at Eielson AFB and participated in deployments to both Turkey and Qatar. He transitioned to traditional guard status in 2008 after he accepted civilian employment with the Federal Aviation Administration. Othaniel was proud to serve his country and was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant in December 2013.
Othaniel traveled to Kenai with his family for the first time in 2012 and immediately fell in love with the friendly community and the beauty of the area. Knowing the Peninsula was where they wanted to raise their family, Othaniel and Krystal packed up their children and relocated to Kenai in February 2013. 
Later on, during the final weeks of his illness, the beach near the mouth of the Kenai River was the place where he was happiest and most able to find peace. He loved watching his children run around in the sand, learn to skip rocks on the water and scour the shoreline for seashells. He said that walking on the beach, holding his wife's hand, and hearing his children's laughter helped him to relax and quiet his mind, if only briefly.
Othaniel is survived by his wife and best friend, Krystal; his children, Neka, Elijah, Brock and Arlo; and numerous family, friends and service members in Fairbanks, North Pole, British Columbia, Alberta and the Lower 48.
In accordance with Othaniel's wishes, no memorial service will be held. Krystal and the children will scatter his ashes in the Cook Inlet at a later date.