Miriam Margaret Cooper 1927 - 2013

COOPER, COLLINS, WELTE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/5/2013 at 10:36:12

Mapleton Press
1 August 2013

Miriam M. Cooper, 85, of Mapleton passed away Wednesday, July 24, at Burgess Health Center in Onawa.

Miriam Margaret Cooper was born Sept. 14, 1927, at Danbury, the daughter of Dan and Josie (Collins) Welte. While being raised in the Danbury area, she attended and graduated from St. Patrick’s Academy. She then received her teaching certificate from Briar Cliff College and taught country school in rural Danbury.

On June 30, 1947, Miriam was united in marriage to Elmer Robert Cooper at St. Patrick¹s Catholic Church in Danbury. They first lived at Smithland where they started their family of three sons and one daughter. In 1955, the family moved to Mapleton. Elmer and Miriam were proud to celebrate their 52 years of marriage before his passing, Jan. 3, 1999.

Miriam worked as the secretary for Simonsen¹s Rendering Service for decades, was a secretary for the Monona County Public Heath Nurse’s Office in Mapleton, and was Head Cook at the Maple Valley School in Mapleton for many years, a job, in which she took great pride.

As an active faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mapleton, Miriam served on St. Mary¹s Guild, sang for years in St. Mary’s Choir, and could always be counted on to lead the Rosary for any event that required her gift to do so. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Loren Hollister Post #496 of Mapleton.

Miriam was a wonderful cook, providing a full “meat and potatoes meal” on the table every night. She enjoyed camping and spending time with all her grandkids.

Loving family members surviving Miriam are her three sons and their wives, Ron and Jeanette Cooper of Sergeant Bluff, Dan and Marlene Cooper of Mapleton, and Tom and Diane Cooper of Battle Creek; her daughter, Patricia Cooper of Mapleton; 10 grandchildren, Scott Cooper, Brent Cooper, and Stacey Koob, Heidi McMahon, Christi Schill, Laurie Klocke, and Amy Cooper, Cheryl Cieslik, Aaron Cooper, and Brandon Cooper; 18 great-grandchildren; one brother and his wife, Larry and Jan Welte of Bloomington, Minn.; one sister, Alice Paulsen of Cushing and one sister-in-law, Gloria Welte of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; along with many other extended family members.

Miriam was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer; her parents; a granddaughter, Heather Cooper; two brothers, Earl Welte and his wife, Betty and Maurice Welte; one sister, Geraldine “Pudge” Steckelberg and her husband, Arnold; and one brother-in-law, Norman Paulsen.

The Funeral Mass was Friday, July 26, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mapleton with Rev. Dan Greving officiating. Burial was in St. Mary¹s Catholic Cemetery at Mapleton.

Message in Music was by Julie Hamann, accompanist and vocalist and included “Here I Am Lord,” “The Servant Song,” “Prayer of St. Francis,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Song of Farewell.”

Pallbearers were grandchildren Scott Cooper, Brent Cooper, Stacey Koob, Heidi McMahon, Christi Schill, Laurie Klocke, Amy Cooper, Cheryl Cieslik, Aaron Cooper, Brandon Cooper.

Visitation was Thursday, July 25, after 4 p.m. with the Rosary by St. Mary’s Guild at 4:30 p.m. and a Vigil Wake Service at 7 p.m. at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton.

Armstrong Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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