Service Details
The visitation and funeral will take place at different locations. See below:
Visitation: Thursday, January 26, 2016, 4:00pm until 7:00pm at DRAEGER-LANGENDORF FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY, 4600 COUNTY LINE ROAD
Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, January 27, 2016, 11:00am, at ST. LUCY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 3101 DREXEL AVENUE, Visitation at church on Friday will be from 10:00am until the time of the Mass.
Walter G. “Wally” Cooper, 83, passed away peacefully at his residence on Sunday, January 22, with his family. He was born in Racine on July 26, 1933 the son of the late John M. and June J. (Nee: Whiteaker) Cooper.
Wally was a 1952 graduate of St. Catherine’s High School. He served his country, in Germany, with the U.S. Army during the Korean War. On December 29, 1956, in St. Lucy Catholic Church, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, the former Arlene Rose Russo. Wally worked most of his career for The Racine Journal Times, starting as a paperboy working his way up to Operations Manager, overseeing all of the production, transportation, circulation and maintenance departments, retiring on March 31, 1988. He later worked at Romme Printing, retiring in Nov. of 2006.
Wally was a member of St. Lucy Church, where he served as an usher since 1957, and the V.F. W. Post 1391. He was the last surviving charter member of the Kiwanis Club of West Racine. As a beloved Kiwanian since 1976 he was awarded the Tablet of Honor, the Hixson, and the Legion of Honor awards.
Surviving are his loving wife of 60 years, Arlene; their sons, Tom (Kim) Cooper, of Oshkosh, Jeff (Sue) Cooper, of Kenosha, Rob (Debby) Cooper, of Racine, Mark (Jeri) Cooper, of Tomahawk, WI, and Greg (Marianne) Cooper, of Racine; grandchildren, Michael (Samantha) Cooper, of Mokena, IL, Sarah Cooper, of Oregon, WI, Paula Ann ( Nathan) Czechowicz, of Racine, Zachary Cooper, of New London, CT and Samantha Cooper, of Kenosha, Tiffany Cooper, of Racine, Tyler Cooper, of Milwaukee, Jonathan Cooper, of Racine, Connor Cooper, of Tomahawk, WI Jacob Cooper, Elizabeth Cooper, and Hannah Cooper, all of Racine; great grandson, Murphy Czechowicz, of Racine; sisters, Barbara Cramer, and Pauline (Loren) Drissel, all of Racine, sister-in-law, Jan Cooper, of Lake Wales, FL, brother-in-law Richard (Louise) Russo, of Madison; aunt, Rintha Dulek. In addition to his parents, Wally was preceded in death by his son, Gerry, mother-in-law and father-in-law Louis and Aquiline Russo, and brother-in-law, Clarence Cooper, sister-in-law Betty Russo.
His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Lucy Catholic Church, 3101 Drexel Ave., on Friday, January 27th, at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Javier Guativa officiating. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Thursday, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., and in the church on Friday from10:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Burial, with full military honors, will follow in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family, has suggested memorials to either, the Gerry Cooper Scholarship Fund at St. Lucy’s School, the West Racine Scholarship Fund, or the Aurora Health Care Foundation.
Rob and his brothers want to send as a special thanks to Debby Cooper for her years of caring for Dad, as well as caregivers Julie and Norbert.
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