Cooper, Mary (Mrs. Thomas) 1844- 1924

COOPER, GOODRICH

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg (email)
Date: 5/24/2016 at 11:27:58

Hawarden Independent August 7, 1924

Mrs. Mary Cooper, an aged resident of this city, was found dead at her home here where, she lived alone about 7 o clock last Friday evening. Her lifeless body was found by Frank Hout after he forced an entrance to the house when he became suspicious that something was wrong. Mr. Hout had been in the habit of working in Mrs. Cooper's garden in the evenings and last Friday evening has noticed that the house was closed up tight and also noticed that a light was burning inside. When he gained admission to the house he found Mrs. Cooper's body pitched forward on the floor of the bedroom. She was clad only in her night clothing and a lamp was still burning on a stand in the room. Practically all of the oil was burned out of the lamp. Mr. Hout rushed out of the house and hailed Dr. G. L Roark, who happened to be driving by. Dr. Roark gave it as his opinion that she had-probably been dead for 16 to 20 hours. It is assumed that she had arisen in-the night and lighted a lamp and was then seized with heart failure. County Coroner Wm.. Duven- was summoned from Orange City but after viewing the remains decided that an inquest was not necessary.

Mrs. Cooper had not been in the best of health, since her return last spring from Hot Springs, Ark., where she spent the winter with her daughter. However, she had not been bedfast and was able to look after the work around her home. She was uptown on ____ the day before her lifeless body was found. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Baptist church in this city, conducted by Rev. J. T. Parker, and interment was made in Grace Hill cemetery.

Mary Goodrich was born in Vermont Jan, 29, 1844, so was past 80 years of age. When only two years old her parents moved from Vermont to Wisconsin. At the age of 18 she was united in marriage with Thomas Cooper, who preceded her in death about twelve years ago. Eight children, four, boys and four girls, were born to this union but three of the sons have already passed on. The family came to this community about twenty-five years ago and Mrs. Cooper's home has since, been here. The children who survive are Mrs. L. E. Morlan of Hot Springs, Ark., Mrs. E. Barnum and Mrs. Geo. Luckey of Hawarden, Mrs. M. J. Sloggett of Fremont, Neb., and Thomas Cooper of Page, Neb. All of the children were present at the funeral. She is also survived by twenty grandchildren and thirty-four great grandchildren, besides a host of friends. Mrs. Cooper was converted when a girl and united with the Baptist church in Wisconsin and after moving to Hawarden she united with the Baptist church here. She was a good Christian woman, a devoted mother to her children and a splendid neighbor. Many friends outside the family circle will mourn her death.