Adren Cooper died on Thursday, November 16th, 2018. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1927, he lived an extended life thanks to many great medical professionals who helped him with life saving procedures. He lived on dialysis treatments for over a year and lived with a mechanical heart valve for over 24 years, which gave him more time with his family. He was drafted to the U.S. Army on D-day and served stateside. He started his career as a journalist for the Arkansas Democrat in Little Rock and was one of many journalists who covered the forced integration of Little Rock Central High School. He was a journalist for the Associated Press, Inc. He and his family lived in Dallas, TX, Kansas City, MO, and Arlington, VA, during his eleven year time with the AP. He then was recruited to work for the US Department of Commerce, in Washington, DC, where he was a writer and editor for their Public Affairs Department. He retired from Commerce after 30 years. He lived in Alexandria and Annandale, VA.
He was predeceased by his parents, Helen R. Cooper (Bogy) and Adren Earl Cooper, Sr., his sisters, Carolyn Cooper, Eula Ruck, and Jane Tolbert, his brothers, Quentin Cooper and Warren Cooper and his son, Andrew Cooper. Survivors include his daughter, Ann Cummins of Jamaica, Vermont, his ex-wife Margaret Cooper of Cabot, AR, his sister Dr. Ruth Anne Cooper of Little Rock, AR, his sister Christine Spindel of Urbana, Illinois, his brother Howard Cooper of Indianapolis, Indiana, his daughter-in-law Hala Cooper of Springfield, Missouri. Many other relatives honored and loved him, including relatives as far flung as California, Oregon, Texas, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, and Tennessee.
His spirit of equality and fairness will live on in those who remember and honor him. He believed in truth in news and read the newspaper daily. There will be a service in Arkansas, where many of his surviving relatives live.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to NAMI Vermont (www.namivt.org) or NAMI New Hampshire (www.naminh.org), where the funds will be used to help support, education and advocate for people and families of those living with mental health concerns.