Deacon Cooper

COOPER, Deacon Terry - Age 68, passed away Sunday, June 5, 2011 at Hurley Medical Center. Family hour 11 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1083 E. Stewart Ave., with funeral service commencing at 12Noon. Rev. Michael Gibson, Pastor of Greater Paradise M.B. C. officiating, Pastor Lewis Randolph, Host Pastor. Interment River Rest Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 11 a.m. Saturday. Deacon Cooper will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12Noon-8 p.m. Friday. Deacon Terry Vernon “T” Cooper was born February 24, 1943 in Camp Seal, Texas, the son of Bernice (Beatrice) Cooper. Terry graduated from George Washington Carver High School in Kountze, Texas and attended two years at Houtan-Tillison College in Austin, Texas, where he was an avid basketball player. He was a resident of Grand Blanc, MI. Terry was a member of Greater Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon, member of the Male Chorus, Sunday School Teacher and custodian. Terry was employed with MTA and AC Spark Plug Division and was a member of UAW Local 651. He loved fishing and cooking barbeque. He leaves to cherish is memory: wife, Joyce J. Cooper; 4 children, Gerald L. Cooper of Kountze, TX, Rodney (Jennifer) Cooper of Flint Township, Michelle R. Cooper and Monique Grady, both of Flint; 16 grandchildren including special grandchildren who he raised, Tavion D. Cooper and Tasia L. Cooper; 15 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Eula Mae Battiest, Minnie Cooper and Barbara (Eddie) Stewart, all of Dallas, TX; brother, Hubert Cooper of Magnolia Springs, TX; mother-in-law, Bertha Gibson of Kouontze, TX; sisters-in-law, Glenda (Ralph) Barkley of Dallas, TX, Gladys Gibson of Flint and Patricia Gibson-Fields of Kountze, TX; brothers-in-law, Pastor Michael (Janet) Gibson of Flint, Kelvin (Sylvia) Gibson of Kountze, TX and special brother-in-law, Eddie Bernard Gibson, Sr. of Flint; a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends including special friends Charlie Thomas, Allen Parker, Ray Clemons and Eugene Payne, special high school buddy, Freddie (Ethel) Anderson. Mr. Cooper was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Kent Cooper. The family would like to express special thanks to Pastor Michael Gibson and Greater Paradise Missionary Baptist Church family, Pastor Lewis Randolph and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church family, nurses and doctors of Hurley Medical Center, especially Dr. Aram Minassian.

Deacon Cooper

February 24, 1943 - June 5, 2011