grave import

Obituary

Betty Kathryn Cole Cooper passed away at 10:40 a.m. at the Great River Hospice House in West Burlington, IA, on August 26, 2011, at the age of 90. Betty was born in Omaha, Nebraska, delivered by her Uncle, Dr. C. W. Pollard, on April 17, 1921. She and her older brother Robert Otho were born to Dr. Robert Dill and Inez Adell (Wachtel) Cole. Her father, Dill, practiced Dentistry in Falls City, NE, and her mother, Inez, was a homemaker. Her early life included fun with extended family, and a memorable trip to Yellowstone in a Model T Ford. Betty graduated from Falls City High School, and followed her parents, aunts, uncles, and brother to Peru State Teachers College. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree and teaching certification, and taught high school English in Valentine, NE, during WWII, LaJunta and Brighton, CO, and Biloxi, MS. She was a sponsor for school clubs and activities, and enjoyed taking classes, exploring, and many other activities with friends and family. She renewed a friendship with a Falls City acquaintance one summer, and on June 24, 1951, she and William Thomas Cooper were married at her parents' home. Betty and Tom, and Instrumental Music teacher, lived in Ponca and South Sioux City, NE, where their two children, Kathryn Ann and Charles Thomas, were born. The family moved to Knoxville, IA, and then to Burlington IA, making them truly a family from between the two rivers. Throughout her life Betty was an avid gardener, enjoyed nature, painting, woodworking, photography, and many other arts and crafts. She enjoyed golf, bridge, women's club groups, Burlington Hospital Auxiliary, church committees, and was a King's Daughters member, as well as a past member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was most proud to be a 69 year member of P.E.O. Betty and Tom instilled in their children the love of learning, and the joy of traveling. These loves combined to provide the family with many vacations that included museums, civil war battlefields, historic homes, and on more than one occasion, a college campus. Betty kept up this love of teaching and learning by substitute teaching, taking classes, and teaching GED classes at Southeastern Community College. She and Tom traveled extensively after his retirement, enjoying Elderhostel, a trip to Great Britain, and several tours with the Good Neighbor Club. Survivors include daughter, Kathryn of Des Moines, IA, son Charles and daughter-in-law Laura and granddaughter Britney of Dexter, MO; niece Sharon (Rush) and nephew Dan (Barbara) of Florida; and nieces Linda (Don) and Jeanette (Jim) of Nebraska. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Tom, her brother Bob, and sister-in-law Dorothy, and sister Martha Jo and brother-in-law Warren Spellman. The funeral services for Mrs. Betty Kathryn Cole Cooper will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 30th, in Lunning Chapel. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the services. Memorials have been established for West Burlington United Methodist Church, Great River Hospice House of the Iowa P.E.O. Projects Fund.