Carroll Woodrow "Coop" Cooper

ARLINGTON -- Carroll Woodrow Cooper passed away Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, in Arlington. Funeral: 10 a.m. Friday at Advent Lutheran Church, 3232 S. Cooper St., Arlington. Interment: Parkdale Cemetery, Arlington. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. Coop was born May 10, 1917, in McCaulley, the son of Samuel William Cooper and Frances Adelyn Thomas. Coop grew up in West Texas, primarily in Coleman, and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1941. He served in the United States Army beginning in 1941 and in the United States Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1946 when he received an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant. He was a B-24 navigator and member of the 741st Squadron, 455th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in Italy where he flew 32 missions in 1944 and 1945. Coop served in the Air Force Reserve until he retired as a lieutenant colonel. He was honored to be featured in Stephen Ambrose's 2001 book "The Wild Blue," a historical account of the men who manned the "Liberator" of World War II, the B-24 bomber. After World War II, Coop married Mary Louise Schramm of El Campo on Oct. 22, 1945. They moved to Arlington in 1950 to live and raise a family. Coop worked at General Dynamics in Fort Worth for 28 years and retired in May 1984. He served the company in engineering management. Upon retirement, Coop had reached the Global Ambassador Silver Level of Achievement by visiting 172 countries and island groups around the world. Many travels were shared with his wife, Louise. He very much enjoyed recalling stories of his travel experiences that he chronicled with many beautiful photographs and an extensive travel diary. In recent years, Coop often reminisced about experiences with his children -- a trip to the World War II D-Day Museum, travel to Washington, D.C., with the Ellis County Honor Flight group and an actual flight on the last operational B-24 with his two sons. He was 92 when he took this last flight on the bomber. Coop will always be remembered as a devoted husband and family man. With his wife, Louise, he provided for and raised his children with loving life lessons, great values, discipline, respect for responsibility, an appreciation for travel and a sense for a good story. His four grandchildren will always remember their "Pa" for his many stories, most of which were recalled many times over. The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to Arlington Memorial Hospital, Kindred Hospital of Arlington, Town Hall Estates Nursing Center Arlington and Mission Hospice for all their special care in the last three months. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Clarence, Charles; and sister, Peg Garrett. Survivors: His wife of 68 years, Mary Louise Cooper; sons Scott W Cooper and wife, Susan, and Jeff W Cooper and wife, Jane; daughter, Sara Cooper Moore and husband, David; grandchildren, Ali Cooper Lucas and husband, Thomas, Michael Scott Cooper, William Travis Cooper and Samantha Elise Cooper; great-grandson, Thomas Cooper Lucas; nephew, Bob Garrett and wife, Linda; and nephew, Joe Garrett and wife, Kess.