Jeanne Carrol Cooper

Jeanne C. Cooper, 82, died late evening April 2 while in the compassion and loving care of family and hospice support. Her courageous spirit shined bright the final few months of her decline in dementia. Although we will miss her dearly, her doting and loving husband Brian “Mike” Cooper of 62 years is grateful she returned home to Jesus, her first LOVE.
Jeanne Carrol Evans, was born on September 23, 1941, to Ralph M. and Katherine G. of Wichita, Kansas. She was the third, and maybe most independent of a very fiery foursome of sisters with Joanne, Nancy and Dana. She never grew accustomed to her family moving often, including to California and back for dad’s work. Jeanne kept herself busy as a youngster helping with chores, playing paper dolls with Dana, or watching her father fix the family’s big black Buick.
In the sixth grade, Jeanne moved for the final time to a new city Salem, Oregon and met lifelong friends in the Bischoff family. The same year her family’s conversion to the catholic faith brought fond memories at St. Joseph’s and Sacred Heart Academy in downtown Salem. A Sacred Heart Academy HS Senior often attending morning mass, Jeanne was called to become a novitiate in the convent at Marylhurst College in Portland. She recalled this as one of her happiest times that came to an end when she returned home to help her parents.
Perhaps it was God’s perfect timing, when barely a year after returning home Jeanne met (wonderful, tall and handsome) Mike and soon decided to wed. They were married by close friend Fr. Don Durand on Thanksgiving weekend in 1961 at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church. Jeanne and Mike raised their four children in the Catholic faith they cherished. Jeanne could be seen and heard singing with her family in the front pew at the folk mass at St. Vincent’s. Mike supported Jeanne in the high priority she put into sending her children to Catholic schools. All her children attended catholic school through mid and high school until closure of Jeanne’s beloved SHA in 1984. Jeanne and friend Dee Gander even started a lunch program at Sacred Heart, allowing her to “keep an eye on the kids during the day.”
Once her children were raised, Jeanne spent several years working in the office of local radiology doctors; gourmet cooking, extensive gardening(especially her prized roses), and taking frequent trips to the Oregon coast (and maybe a casino) with Mike.
Dancing at her children’s weddings, and eventually grandchildren began to fill up her time and heart. “MIMA” loved taco feeds; kitty boys; mariner’s games and birkenstocks. You could hear her singing to Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers or any other beautiful voices up until her last months. She was extremely excited to welcome her six great grandchildren. We are blessed our mom remembered every one of us until the end. Mom reminded us at every chance to “BE KIND like Padre Pio.”
Although quite independent and “in-charge”, she was hopelessly in love with Mike and her children and twelve grandchildren. Family and friends recall the fierce and staunch defense of each child, grandchild, niece, nephew and family friend. She was a very proud and generous mom and mima. Any time we miss her or remember the last few months of her failing health we are comforted in the certainty of her dancing in heaven with her sisters.
Her husband Mike; daughter Stef (Jason); sons Chris (Jana), Damian (Michele), and Sean (Megan) hope you will join us to pray for her reunion with Jesus in Heaven. Her funeral mass on Saturday April 27 at 1pm will be preceded by praying the rosary at 12:30 in Keizer at St. Edward Catholic Church.
Although we will have a short reception at the parish hall immediately following, the best stories will be told along with tacos, singing and dancing, (Jeanne’s style), hosted by the family out at the Macleay home of Damian and Michele.
We are grateful for any contributions in Jeanne’s memory to St. Edward Catholic Church or Alzheimer’s Association.