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William Savage Cooper (Judge) (1944)

COOPER, GUTHRIE, SAVAGE, WAINWRIGHT

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 8/28/2006 at 07:49:42

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, February 9, 1944

DISTRIC COURT JUDGE 20 YEARS

Had Been Winterset Citizen Since Coming Here in Childhood

Judge William S. Cooper, distinguished citizen of Winterset and one of the most widely known district court jurists in Iowa, died at his home in Winterset early Saturday morning after a long illness. He was 71 years of age.

Judge Cooper had been in failing health for several years. He had been a patient at the Lutheran hospital in Des Moines for several weeks, after suffering a storke of apoplexy in December, but had been brought home when his condition had improved.

Judge Cooper had been a justice of the fifth judicial district of Iowa, of which Madison county is a part, since 1924, and held a distinguished record in that office. In recent years he had received wide acclaim for his "streamlined justice", a system of reducing court time and costs by ironing out details of cases in advance of trial by obtaining attorney agreement at private meetings.

He had also attracted attention throughout the middle west by his handling of litigation growing out of the Maytag strikes and riots at Newton several years ago.

The judge had been a resident of Winterset since childhood. He was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 31, 1873, the son of Robert H. and Minnie Savage Cooper. When he was six years old he came to Winterset with his parents. He was educated in the local schools, Des Moines college, and the University of Virginia. In 1894 he was admitted to the bar and began to practice in 1895, with A. R. Dabney. This partnership continued until 1900, when Dabney retired. Judge Cooper then continued practice alone until his election to the district court bench in 1924.

He was married Dec. 4, 1902, to Miss Edith Wainwright of Winterset. They were the parents of a daughter and a son, both of whom survive. The judge's wife died July 24, 1940.

Judge Cooper was long an active member of the First Presbyterian church in Winterset, and was affiliated with the local Rotary club, the Masonic lodge, and the Knights of Pythias.

He is survived by his daughter, Bertha Cooper, of Phoenix, Ariz.; his son, Wainwright Cooper, of Yuma; two grandchildren; a brother, Ralph Cooper of Boone; and two sisters, Esther Cooper of Ames and Mrs. Sam Guthrie of Chicago.

Funeral services were held Wednesday morning from the First Presbyterian church, in charge of the pastor, the Rev. Arthur Mortenson. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, February 10, 1944
Page 1, Column 2

HOLD LAST RITES FOR W. S. COOPER

Prominent Winterset Citizen And Fifth District Judge Died Here Saturday.

W. S. Cooper, prominent citizen of this community and judge of the Fifth Judicial District, died at his home here early Saturday morning following a long illness. Judge Cooper had recently been a patient in a Des Moines hospital when his condition had become serious, but was brought home when he improved. He was 71 years old January 31.

Judge Cooper was elected a fifth district judge in 1924 and had served continuously since. He was admitted to the bar here in 1894 and became a partner in the law firm of Dabney and Cooper in the early 90s. He served as county attorney to terms from 1902 through 1906 in practice law under his own name after Dabney left the firm to go to California and until he became a district judge.

Judge Cooper was a close student of law and himself completely abrest of the times. He was held in high regard by the members of his profession. He was a graduate of the Winterset high school, and completed a special law course in West Virginia before starting his practice. Judge Cooper was an elder in the Presbyterian church here, a Rotarian and member of the Masonic lodge and Knights of Pythias.

Two Children

He was born in Beaver, Pa., And was married to Edith Wainwright of this city on December 4, 1902 and she preceded him in death on July 24, 1940. Two children survive, Wainwright Cooper of Yuma, Arizona and Miss Bertha Cooper of Phoenix, Arizona. One brother, Ralph of Boone and two sisters, Miss Esther Cooper of Ames and Mrs. Sam Guthrie of Chicago also survived him.

Funeral rites were conducted here Wednesday for Judge Cooper, his body lying in state at the Presbyterian church here from nine until ten Wednesday morning and the services conducted at 10:30 o’clock by Rev. Arthur Mortenson. Interment was made in the Winterset cemetery.

The services were attended by a great many attorneys of the Fifth District and others from all parts of the state.
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Coordinator's note: Middle name taken from his Iowa Death Certificate.

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Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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