James Cooper

Mr. James C. Cooper was born February 26, 1930 in Prattsville, Arkansas to the late Timothy Cooper Sr. and Beatrice Danner.  

James, also known as “Son,” by his dear brothers-in-law, was best known for being a master fisherman, gardener, carpenter, mechanic, pianist, guitarist and most of all a firm but loving father, brother, and husband. He grew up in Prattsville, Arkansas in a large loving close-knit family of 17. He was 7th born of the 17 which was comprised of 12 boys and 5 girls. The Cooper boys were so athletic that they had an entire baseball team (The Prattsville Royals), and James was the pitcher. He worked for General Motors (Saginaw Malleable Iron Foundry) in Saginaw, Michigan, retiring after 30 years of service. After his retirement, James spent most of his time supporting his church as an evangelist, fishing, traveling the world, and watching the Detroit Tigers. He purchased a mobile home in the early 70’s and travelled the United States with his young family every summer. Making sure to go west but always coming through Arkansas to visit his parents and siblings before returning home. He took many cruises and visited places such as Alaska, Panama, Grand Cayman Island, Key West, Florida, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Cancun, Mexico, Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras. He and his wife, Alma, absolutely loved Laughlin, Nevada and visited at least 3 times a year. James is known by his family as being a godly spiritual man, practical, obedient to the law (both physical and universal), consistent, and most of all a man of wisdom. 

James made a peaceful transition to the spiritual realm on Friday, June 17, 2022. He was predeceased by two wives, Alma King Cooper and Inell Paschel Cooper, parents, Timothy (Beatrice) Cooper, his mother and father-in-law; Julious (Alma) King, eight brothers, Clarence, R.B., Arlandus, William, Timothy Jr, Jesse, Bobby, and Carthon Cooper; one sister, Maxine Cooper, two brothers-in-law, Julious King Jr, James King, two sons-in-law, Major Harvey and Welton Cochran; and one granddaughter, Yukka Cooper.  

He leaves to cherish his memory four sons, Hercules Cooper of Malvern, Arkansas, Albert Cooper, Saginaw, Michigan, Alfred Cooper, Lansing, Michigan, and Stacey (Oralia) Cooper of Mason, Michigan; four daughters, Betty (Clarence) Mitchell of Sheffield Lake, Ohio, Mary Cochran, Atlanta, Georgia, Jean (Wesley) Blackmon, Pearland, Texas, and Lynda Harvey, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; two brothers, Louis Cooper of Saginaw, Michigan, Gene (Nancy), Pine Bluff, Arkansas; four sisters, Dorothy Robinson, Flossie Welch and Eloise Cooper, all of Benton, Arkansas, Georgia (John) Green, Malvern, Arkansas; five brothers-in-law, Isaac King, J.P. King, Mackenzie (Everly) King, Fredrick King and Robert (Pasong) King; three sisters-in- law, Anneace, Mary and Irma King, all of Saginaw, Michigan; seventeen grandchildren; thirty-three great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren; along with a host of nieces and nephews.

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