Margaret Merle Cooper

MARGARET MERLE COOPER

HEADLAND… Margaret Merle Cooper, a resident of Headland, Alabama, for the past nine years, went to her Heavenly Home early Friday morning, June 21, 2024, at her home. She was 90.

 Funeral services will be held 4:30 P.M. Friday, June 28, 2024, at Garden of Memories Memorial Park, Mausoleum Chapel, 5205 S. First St., Lufkin, Texas. Visitation will begin at 3:30 prior to the service. Gipson Funeral Home will be in charge of the arrangements. Wright Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of the local arrangements.

 Flowers will be accepted, or you can donate to your favorite animal rescue.

 Ms. Cooper, known to family and friends as, Merle, was born November 11, 1933, to the late Walter Dewey Cooper, Sr. and Mary Evelyn Spence Cooper, in Lumberton, Mississippi. She spent her early years there, then the family moved to Mobile, Alabama, living in Navco and Alabama Village. Merle attended Navco Baptist Church and Shadowlawn Baptist Church and often reminisced about her friends there and said those were her most cherished times.

 Merle was a 1952 graduate of Murphy High School, Mobile, Alabama. She had met the love of her life and they had planned to marry. He had joined the U.S. Navy and was killed in a tragic accident in San Diego, California, in January of 1952. She carried her love for him all the days of her life.

 After graduating high school, Merle worked at the Baptist Book Store. Then her dad was transferred to Lufkin, Texas. She was employed in retail at Woolco for a number of years until her mother became bedridden from a stroke and she lovingly cared for her mother. While in Lufkin, Texas, Merle attended Third Street Baptist Church and Harmony Hill Baptist.

 Merle had the most compassionate heart for all animals. She was always feeding and caring for the stray cats of her neighborhood, even coaxing one into her house to live with her.

 Merle loved music and spent many hours listening to her favorites from Elvis to Daniel O’Donnell to Andrea Bocelli, and Perry Como singing “Ave Maria”.

 In March, of 2015, Ms. Cooper moved to Headland, Alabama with her sister, Jessie and niece Vicki from Houston, Texas to be near her niece, Wanda Mills and her husband, Michael, who were blessed to be her primary caregivers.

 Merle was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Edris Melhus and Jessie Waltman; her brother, Walter Cooper, Jr. and his wife, Gloria.

 She is survived by her nieces and nephews, who share many wonderful memories of time spent with her.

 The family would like to thank Enhabit Hospice for all their watchful care through these last months. They would especially like to thank Merle’s private caregivers, Angel Kelly and Teretha Fryer, who loved their aunt like family and cared for her with dignity and much kindness. 

WRIGHT FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY

Phone 334-6WE-CARE (693-2273)

www.wrightfuneralhomeandcrematory.com

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