William LaVern Cooper, 89, of North Platte, Nebraska, passed away March 30, 2022 at Great Plains Health in North Platte. He was born January 25, 1933 to John and Mary (Workman) Cooper in North Platte.
Bill attended North Platte Senior High and graduated with the class of 1951. He was a Corporal in the U.S. Army while serving in the Korean War from 1953 – 1955. Bill was united in marriage to Nondus “Jean” Swan on September 2, 1962. Bill worked in Washington D.C. from 1962 – 1992. He was employed by Bell Telephone as a lineman and Heart-Shafter-Marks as a manger for 19 years, retiring in 1992. They moved back to North Platte where he worked for McDonald’s, doing general service for thirteen years and worked general service for the Moose Lodge. Bill enjoyed fishing and hunting and country music. During his high school years, he played bass with the Hadley Barrett Band. Bill was an avid Nebraska Husker fan and he loved watching all University of Nebraska sports. He loved his cats as well as the neighborhood cats, making sure they were fed daily. Bill’s most precious honor was when he received his “Quilt of Valor” on June 11, 2021, from the National Quilts of Valor Foundation and the local Heartland Nebraska Quilts of Valor, in North Platte. The Quilt of Valor is the “civilian equivalent of a purple heart.” Bill was very humbled and proud to receive his quilt and was a proud to have served his county. He was a member of the Moose Lodge #551, Moose Legion ’99 and Eagles #2839.
Bill is survived by his children; sons, Rocky (Brenda) Cook, Monty Cook; daughter, Robin Cook Patterson; grandchildren, Ted Cook, Jamie Miller, Tanya Wheeler, Tara Lehn and Trisha Richardson; and great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Mona Cooper; many cousins, nieces and nephews, along with other family members and friends.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Nondus “Jean” Cooper; parents, John and Mary Cooper; brothers, Jerry Cooper, Alvin Cooper, Ronald Cooper; sister, Dorothy Ann Chamberlain; brother and sister-in-laws, Patricia Cooper, Barbara Cooper, Bud Chamberlain, and Terry Swan.
Memorials are suggested to Paws-itive Partners Humane Society, P.O. Box 1145, North Platte, Nebraska, 69101.
Funeral services will be 12:00 P.M., Friday, April 15, 2022, at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home with Pastor Jean Anderson, First Christian Church officiating. Inurnment will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska, with full military honors. Adams and Swanson Funeral Home Is in charge of arrangements.
The service will be livestreamed via the Adams & Swanson Facebook page for those unable to attend.