Gary Brooks Cooper, 74, of Murfreesboro, passed from this earthly home bound for a heavenly home in the early hours of Aug. 31st, 2019, with his wife Cleta, of 35 years, and family by his side.
He was born Aug. 23, 1945, the son of the late Bill Cooper and the late Anna Ruth (Freeman) Cooper .
Gary was a Baptist by faith. He was a United States Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War Era and served as a Deep Sea Survival Specialist.
Gary graduated from Nashville High School and Henderson State University. He was a Nashville Scrapper in a den of Rattlers, a Henderson Reddie (forever), and a die-hard Texas Longhorn fan in a sea of Arkansas Razorbacks.
He retired from the Arkansas State Forestry Commission where he was known as Ranger #222 and ‘Smokey Bear’ before passing the ‘mantle’ (or suit) on to his grandson Ranger Brian Mitchell to carry on the family tradition started by his father, Ranger Bill Cooper.
He was preceded in death by both parents, Bill and Anna Ruth Cooper. He survived by his wife, Cleta F. (Turner) Cooper.; two daughters — Debbie (Crisp) Shukers and husband, Doug, of Murfreesboro, and Lisa (Crisp) Ritterbush and husband, the late Larry Ritterbush of Murfreesboro; one son — Brooks Cooper and wife Rachel of Redwater, Texas; five grandchildren — Douglas ‘DJ’ Shukers, II and wife, Lyndsey, of Hot Springs, Mandy Ballard and husband, Luke, of Hot Springs, Brian Mitchell and wife, Dana, of Murfreesboro, Sam Cooper and Tyler Brooke Cooper of Redwater, Texas; six great grandchildren — Desiree Shukers of Hot Springs; Peyton Ballard and Ryan Ballard of Hot Springs; Jared Taylor, Kamryn Taylor and Emery Claire Mitchell of Murfreesboro; a brother — Bill Douglas Cooper of Texarkana, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Services will be held Latimer Funeral Home in Murfreesboro, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, at 2 p.m., with visitation from 1-2 p.m. just prior to the service.
Interment will be at Pike City Cemetery following the service.
