DENNIS COOPER
Celebration of Life memorial services for Dennis Cooper, age 65, of Bedford, Iowa, who passed away at his home Saturday, January 25, 2014, will be held Thursday, January 30, 2014, at 11 a.m. at the United Christian Presbyterian Church in Bedford. Memorials may be directed to Pancreatic Cancer Research or the Ronald McDonald House. Memories may be shared with the family at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Bedford.
Dennis Ray Cooper passed from this life on January 25, 2014 at his home in Bedford, Iowa after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Dennis was born July 13, 1948 to Ann Katherin Krohmer Cooper and Dale Marion Cooper at Clarinda Iowa Hospital. After graduating from Clearfield high school, he went to Universal Trade School in Omaha, Nebraska to train in auto mechanics.
On July 9, 1967 he was united in marriage to Connie Sue Sobotka. To this union were born four beautiful children, Jackie DeLee, Wendy Gayle, Darcie Rae and Devan Owen. In addition to their biological children, they also enjoyed opening their home to others including Dina Grant and family, foreign exchange student Cyril Sabra and many of their children’s friends.
Dennis served nearly seven years in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, in which he spent many hours in flight as crew chief of a KC135 fuel tanker. Upon his honorary discharge, he returned to Iowa with his family. His livelihoods upon return included manager of a Skelly gas station in Red Oak, Iowa; city mail carrier for 27 years in Bedford, Iowa, and farmer in the Clearfield and Bedford areas for over 35 years.
Dennis enjoyed racing stock cars as a hobby in his younger days. He graced the oval tracks of Mount Ayr, Iowa; Rapid City, South Dakota, and Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Dennis enjoyed traveling with his wife and family. They took many vacations, in which they explored places and visited friends and family members. In celebration of their 40th anniversary, they took a trip to London and Paris with their lifelong friends, Harlan and Dee Davenport of Round Rock, Texas.
Left to cherish his loving memory are his wife of 46 years, Connie Cooper of Bedford, Iowa; children and grandchildren, Jackie (Peter) Cooper-Bennett, Aidan and Noah of Milton Keynes, England, Wendy (Matt) Poore, Danielle and Kirsten of Huntley, Illinois, Darcie (Neil) Cooper, Sadie and Nate of Cameron, Missouri and son, Devan Cooper of Denver, Colorado; parents, Dale and Ann Cooper of Lenox, Iowa; brother, David (Deb) Cooper of Saint Louis, Missouri; sisters, Sandee (Chuck) Dickenson of Saint Charles, Iowa and Sheryl (Butch) Newton of Skidmore, Missouri; his mother-in-law, Venita Schmidt of Hot Springs, Arkansas; sister-in-law, Karen (Mike) Schaefer of Maloy, Iowa; brother-in-law, Duane Sobotka of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
