Richard Earl Cooper Sr.

Richard Earl “Pappy” Cooper Sr.

1945 – 2018

Richard Earl Cooper Sr., age 73, of Vidor, TX, passed away on November 13, 2018. He was born to Benjamin Franklin Cooper and Katy Rogers Cooper on August 1, 1945 in Greenville, MS.

Richard was a simple, Christian man that had a heart the size of Texas. Full of life, he was strong, loved to take charge and fought for the things and people he cared about. Syble, the love of his life, caught his eye as a crossing guard at her daughters’ school. To Syble and her girls, he was a perfect gentleman, and he never took her on a date without Tammy and Christy. With the girls’ blessing, they married on November 20, 1970. He made a promise to them that he would be the best daddy that he could ever be; he kept that promise for the rest of his life. Richard proudly served in the US Army and Army National Guard as a paratrooper, fighting in the Vietnam war from 1967-1968 at the age of 22. Until his retirement at age 65, he drove a truck cross country, and every night at 8:00, Syble would be waiting for his call home. He loved his family, and they never had to worry about him not being around for them. Support from Richard was always there for those he loved, through trying situations and troubling times. His particular nature would bring him to tell what was on his mind; but most knew that he had a bark, but not a bite. That same voice encouraged his family, especially as his children grew and played sports. He never missed a game, coaching his son, Richard, and later alongside him, coaching his grandchildren; all the parents at the ballpark wanted him hollering for their kids. For his family, he waged all-out war on cancer; and it was said of him that he fought so hard “he graduated from a soldier to an all-out warrior.” With his family, and often at truck stops with friends, Richard loved to sing gospel music at the top of his lungs. While taking his last breath, surrounded by those he fought so hard for, Richard passed into his heavenly reward singing his favorite song “Calvary’s the Reason.”

Left to honor his memory is his loving wife of 47 years, Syble J. Cooper; daughters, Tammy Jackson and husband, Tim, of Vidor, TX and Christy Block and husband, Steve, of Vidor, TX; son, Richard Cooper Jr. and wife, Shalagh Jean, of Vidor, TX; brothers, Tommy Cooper and Coy Cooper; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Preceding Richard in death were his parents; sisters, Brenda Pearson and Annie May Miller; grandson, Jordan Thompson; mother-in-law, Mary Opal Kornegay; father-in-law, John Pershing Kornegay; and brother-in-law, John Franklin Kornegay.

Visitation for family and friends will be Thursday, November 15, 2018, at Pine Forest Baptist Church, 4800 N Main St, Vidor, TX 77662, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Richards’s life honoring service will be on Friday, November 16th, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. also at Pine Forest Baptist Church, with Bro. Bubba White officiating. 

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