Stewart Cooper

Jackson Stewart Cooper, Jr., of Abilene, passed away Tuesday, April 22, at the age of 85. Funeral services will be at 11:00 am Friday, April 25 at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal. The Reverend J. Scott Mayer, The Reverend Mary E. Glover, The Reverend Rosemary P. Thomas, and The Reverend James Smart will officiate. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends during a visitation Thursday from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Stewart was born September 2, 1922 to Dr. J.S. Cooper, Sr. and Ruth Hollingshead Cooper in the Alexander Hospital in Abilene, Texas. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1939 and attended Texas Tech before entering the Army Air Corps where he served as a medical technician during World War II. After returning to Abilene, he attended Hardin Simmons. While attending school he worked at Hendrick Memorial Hospital as an X-ray technician where he met Christene Holley, who worked in the hospital office. They married August 4, 1947 and celebrated 60 years together in August. Stewart was a member of the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal, where he formerly served as an usher. He attended Alcoholic Anonymous and received his 35 year recognition medal in September of last year. Stewart loved outdoor activities including fishing and hunting with family and friends. He especially enjoyed spending time in Colorado fishing with his family. He is survived by his wife, Christene Cooper, of Abilene and four children, Tom Cooper and wife Lynne, of Castro Valley, California; Gayle Korte and husband, Ben, of Chandler, Arizona; Mary Jane Coventry and husband Jim, of Amarillo, Texas; and Dan Cooper and wife, Julie, of Schertz, Texas. He is also survived by his brother, Jim Cooper, and his wife, Wanda, of Abilene; his grandchildren, David Hedger, Jenny Birt and husband, Davin, Lora Taylor and husband, Drake, Rachel Salemi and husband, Charlie, Hannah Cooper, Emily Coventry and Casey Cooper; great-grandchildren, Ashley Lara, Christian Birt, and Ava Taylor, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Pallbearers will be: Casey Cooper, Charlie Salemi, Drake Taylor, Bill Young, Bill Norwood, and Clancy Hart. Members of the AA community are asked to be honorary pallbearers. The family wishes to express appreciation to Sears Methodist Nursing Center and Sears Hospice for their loving and tender care of Stewart. The family requests memorials, rather than flowers, to be sent to the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal 602 Meander, Abilene, Texas 79602; The Unity AA Group, 602 Meander, Abilene, Texas 79602; Hendrick Home for Children, P.O. Box 5195, Abilene, Texas 79608; or to Sears Hospice or Nursing Center, 3202 South Willis, Abilene, 79605.