George was born in the family farm house on Riverview Ridge in Orion Township on the northern side of the Wisconsin River near Muscoda, Wisconsin. He was the fourth of five children born to George Washington Cooper and Florence Esther Sparling-Cooper. At the age of two, his family moved to Horse Creek in Marshall Township, near Richland Center, Wisconsin. He lived there, attending Upper Horse Creek School and working on the family farm, until he entered the U.S. Army in 1942, serving until October 1945. While in the Army, he and Ruby Evelyn Hallett were married in Richland Center, Wisconsin. After his discharge, George and Ruby rented a farm near Eagle Corners until 1957 when they and their family of four children moved to Salem, Oregon. Here, George joined his younger brother as a roofer for a few years and ended his career working 20 years for the Oregon State Highway Department. George and Ruby celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2012 before her death in 2013.

George lived the last 37 years in retirement at home in Salem. He was admired for building dozens of bird and squirrel feeders and other handyman projects in his workshops. He was friends with many neighbors and he and Ruby loved to travel around the United States, including Alaska in their motor home (they wore out two of them) visiting friends, family, and site-seeing. George and Ruby enjoyed family reunions and weddings, attending as many as possible. They attended eleven Army Reunions around the country with his fellow Company comrades renewing relationships with his “fox-hole” buddies and their families. As far as is known, George was the last member of the 44th Quartermaster Railhead Company of 176 men who were shipped overseas in 1944. The 44th was a Combat Quartermaster Unit of the 9th U.S. Army serving in England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany.

George is preceded in death by Ruby; sisters, Norma (Glen) Lewis and Erma (Joe) Frye; and brothers, Fay (Cecil) and Lyle (Margaret). George is survived by four children; sons Fred (Cherie) and Gene (Eva), and daughters Linda (Tom Berkeland) and Donna (Bill Weaver). He is also survived by six grandchildren: Derick Cooper and wife Fran, Shelley Cooper and husband Chris Hanel, Heidi Cooper and husband Stace Karussos, Brianna Berkeland and husband Chase Berry, Kelsey Weaver and husband Matt Weigel, and Blake Berkeland. George is also survived by eight great-grandchildren: Emma Cooper, Ethan Cooper, Kyle Hanel, Caelyn Hanel, Ariana Karussos, Olivia Weigel, Connor Weigel, and Evalynn Berry.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a Veteran’s Organization of your choice.