John Robert Cooper

Cooper, John Robert, 81, passed away Tuesday, August 6 at St. Francis Hospital. He was born April 21, 1932, in Granby, Missouri to Everett and Mona (Cole) Cooper. After graduating from Granby High School, John served his country in the Korean War as a communications specialist. Upon returning to the United States, he worked for Boeing for a couple years, and then began working for Beechcraft. During his time there, he helped plan and design their EMC testing facility, and once won $1,000 in a contest for a money-saving suggestion. He retired in 1995 after 36 years at Beechcraft as the test engineer in charge of EMC testing for their Engineering and Experimental Division. After retirement, John became the family cook, and enjoyed trying out new recipes like borscht and blonde lasagna. Family was very important to John. He prepared many feasts for his extended family and he rarely missed the annual Cooper cousin reunion in Missouri. He was very handy around the house and used to repair TVs in his spare time. He liked genealogy, and researching his family tree back hundreds of years. His main hobby was woodworking, and he made many pieces of furniture for family and friends that will be treasured for years to come, including barrister bookcases, jewelry boxes, and quilt racks. Another of John’s hobbies was polka dancing, which led him to become the first president of the POLK of A Club of Kansas. John is preceded in death by his parents, Everett and Mona (Cole) Cooper and his sister, Betty (Ron) Gaenzle. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Elsie; daughters Beverly (Dana) Anderson, Wellington, KS; Terri (Mike) Welch, Houston, TX, granddaughters Laura (Drew) Spencer, Roeland Park, KS, Danielle Anderson, Manhattan, KS; Tess and Jillian Welch of Houston, TX; and brothers Billy Joe Cooper and Jerry Lynn Cooper of Granby, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Via Christi Foundation. Visitation 1-8 p.m. Saturday (family present 4-6 p.m.), at Culbertson-Smith Mortuary, 115 S. Seneca.