Robert Cooper

Robert G. Cooper passed away peacefully on December 21, 2022, at his home in Keene, Texas. He was born on February 24, 1930, in St. Louis, Missouri, during the depression, the only son of an only son. He was 92 years old at the time of his passing. He attended public school through the 6th grade, then church school through the 10th grade, and became a charter member of Sunnydale Academy. He graduated as president of his class in 1948. He went on to Union College where he prepared to teach elementary school, and graduated in 1952. He met and married Vivian B. Rabun in Elgin, Texas, after a year of teaching there. Together they raised their daughter, Terri, and their son, Stanley.

Robert taught for 10 years in Texas to include Elgin, Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Keene. The family left Keene in 1961 for Loma Linda where he worked in the library there for 5 years while he pursued his M.S. in Library Science. They returned to Keene in 1966 where he became library director of the Findley Memorial Library, which went through several expansions due to the school's growth. He helped plan and move into the new Chan Chun Centennial Library before retiring in 1996. He was the Library Director for SWAU for 30 years. He also set up the Keene Adventist Elementary School library.

In the 90's he started cataloging books for SDA elementary schools even before retirement. He has cataloged books for some 20 schools to include Abilene, Austin, Burleson, Cypress, Elgin, Ft. Worth, Jefferson, Joshua, Keene, Lewisville, McAllen, Mesquite, Richardson, San Marcos, Santa Anna, Waco, Weatherford, and Ukiah Jr. Academy in California. He also volunteered one day a week each at KAES, CTA, and SWAU, and two days a week at Keene City Hall.

Robert has also served as councilman for Ward III from 1983-1985, 1992-2008, 2015-2022, and as mayor pro-tempore for one of those years. He was dedicated to serving the city and helping however he could which included being an archivist for the city. He also adamantly supported his city by attending the parades and cheering everyone one. He was well respected by those he worked with.

He was always trying to help those who needed it, but did not want to be recognized for his efforts. He was not one who liked to be in the spot light.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Vivian B. Cooper, who passed away in May of 2020. He is survived by his daughter, Terri Culver, her husband Jim, their daughter Angela Culver and her husband, Jedidiah Esparza, and by his son, Stanley Cooper, Ph.D. He is also survived by a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Betty and Earl Hold, as well as 3 nieces and a nephew as well as their families.

A memorial service will be held at the Keene SDA Church on February 19 at 3PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the worthy student funds at KAES, CTA, or SWAU directly or through the Keene SDA church.