we drove up to south dakota over mother's day weekend to visit grandma cooper. she had fallen a couple weeks before and broke her pelvis. we had the most wonderful visit. we got to see my brother and sister.in.law as well as grandma. even though grandma had to be in her recliner, it didn't stop her from playing with the girlies. she loved every moment...and so did we.
two weeks later, on friday may 23rd - grandma went home to heaven. little did she know...when walking to fill out her discharge papers to go home from the hospital, she would actually be walking straight into the arms of Jesus to her eternal home. we are thankful she ran quickly even though we were left shocked and in disbelief. she has been reunited with the love of her life - jack cooper. and we praise jesus for his eternal promise that this earth is NOT our home.
in honor of grandma and her legacy, i put together a slide show (with the help of my cousins). while this only is a glimpse of the love passed on from her to our family...may you appreciate her smile, her charisma, her competitive streak when playing cards - and most importantly - her love for jesus and her family.
Evelyn Irene Cooper
Evelyn Irene was born June 8, 1922 to Clarence and Emma
(Hagenlock) Rusch in Elroy Township near Onaka, South Dakota. She attended
elementary school at Lincoln School in Elroy Township and graduated from Seneca
High School in 1939. She attended Northern State College one year, received her
First Grade certificate enabling her to teach at Ford and Latham Schools, each
for two years. She returned to teaching in 1960, and finished getting her
degree by attending summer sessions and extension classes, graduating from
Northern State University in 1974. She continued teaching until retiring in
1985.
On August 11, 1943, she married John W. Cooper in Brownwood,
Texas where Jack was stationed at Fort Hood. To this union, four children were
born: Jacque, Delbert, Charlene and Jill.
Upon John’s “Jack’s” discharge from the U.S. Army Medical
Corp, they established a home in Seneca Township. They moved to several other
rented farms before building their own home on the farm site owned by Jack’s
parents, the W.H. Cooper’s, in Latham Township. They continued to live there
and farm until failing health prevented Jack from actively participating in the
farm work in 1987. They continued to live in their farm home until April of
1995 when they purchased a home in Faulkton.
Irene was a member of the United Methodist Church in Seneca
and Faulkton, the Rebekah Lodge in both Seneca and Faulkton, a bible study
group, the Healthcare Auxiliary, the Tuesday Club, Retired Teachers, and Jolly
Dozen Whist Club, plus several other organizations.
Gardening, crafting, music, reading, cards, volunteer work,
her grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and people in
general were some of Irene’s favorite pastimes.
Grateful to have shared in her life are her three daughters:
Jacque (Duane) Frisinger of Moorhead, MN, Charlene (Thomas) Haggar of Lincoln,
NE and Jill (Gary) Henderson of Albuquerque, NM; one daughter-in-law, Barbara
Cooper of Sioux Falls; three brothers: Clif (Marilyn) Rusch of Spearfish, Ken
(Marilyn) Rusch of Fairmont, MN and Robert (Darlene) Rusch of Onaka; one
sister, Corinne (Joe) Bowar of Faulkton; seven grandchildren; 15 great
grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jack; son,
Delbert; granddaughter, Angela (Cooper) Powers; son-in-law, Stan Wahlen; and a
great-great granddaughter, Kirstin Booke.
