COOPER, Ruth M. (Graper) 1905-1994

COOPER, PRIEM, GRAPER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 1/19/2012 at 23:38:43

Ruth M. Cooper

#1:

Ruth M. Cooper, 89, of 302 Second St. NE, died Saturday (Nov. 5, 1994) at Good Shephard Nursing Home.

Memorial services were held at 1 pm. Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church.

Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church, Education Department in her memory.

Ruth was born July 25, 1905, in Mitchell County, the daughter of John and May C. (Priem) Graper. She is a graduate of Nora Springs High School and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. She taught vocal music in Geneva and Osage.

[Nora Springs Advertiser – 16 NOVEMBER 1994]

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#2:

Ruth M. Graper was born July 25, 1905 in Mitchell Co., the daughter of John Arthur Graper and May Katherine (Priem) Graper.

Her brothers Percy Alton Graper born June 6, 1904, and Gene Hamlin Graper born September 3, 1908 were also born in Mitchell County, Iowa. Parents John Arthur Graper and May Katherine Priem. (Iowa birth and christening records).

By 1910 the family had moved to Prospect, Butler County, Kansas. By 1915, the family was living in Bronson, Bourbon Co., Kansas, and her father is listed as a widow with Ruth, Percy and Gene. (1915 Kansas Census).

Her mother apparently died in 1914 and was buried in the Bronson Cemetery, Bourbon, Kansas. There is a Find A Grave memorial in that cemetery for a May K. Graper 1879-1914, that I believe to be her.

By 1920 they are back in Prospect, Kansas and her father had remarried to a Helen. The boys are living with them but Ruth isn’t listed with them.

Ruth married Morris G. Cooper, on August 15, 1949 in South Dakota. both 44 years old, with him divorced and living in Mason City and her maiden living in Nora Springs. (Minnehaha County, South Dakota marriage record)

Morris Cooper was born September 29, 1904 in Iowa and died September 1, 1970 in Mason City (SS death record)

(Credit: DM Scott)