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John 'Doc' Cooper

[June 18, 2009]  MIDDLETOWN -- John W. "Doc" Cooper, 74, of Middletown, went to be with his Lord and Savior on June 7, 2009, at 11:35 a.m. at his home.

He was surrounded by his family and friends, just a stone's throw from a beautiful flower garden. His parting words to his wife, Pat, of 48 years, were, "I am going now."

A celebration of his life will be at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 21, at the Little Chapel, at the corner of Fourth and Grove streets in Middletown. Robert Miller will officiate.

No visitation is scheduled.

Cremation rites have been accorded.

Inurnment will be at 10 a.m. Monday, June 22, at Camp Butler Cemetery in Riverton. Military rites will be conducted by American Legion Post 263.

Peasley Funeral Home in Lincoln is in charge of arrangements.

Dr. Cooper retired from the Illinois Nuclear Safety Department, where he served on numerous committees for national organizations, and from Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., in January 2000. During his time at PNNL he traveled to Chernobyl, Ukraine, and toured the burned-out nuclear reactor. He was previously employed by Moore's Pharmacy in Bloomington, the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, Iowa, and Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he did cancer research. He also worked at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Glen Ellyn and at NASA's Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was the radiation safety officer for eight years.

He served in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. His tour of duty took him to Germany during the Korean War.

John Wesley Cooper Jr. was born in Normal on Oct. 2, 1934, the oldest son of John Wesley Sr. and Naomi Francis Carroll Cooper. He married Patricia Litwiller on March 19, 1961, at the Irish Grove Presbyterian Church in Middletown. The Rev. C.W. Simpson officiated.

He is survived by his wife; his children, Rebecca Dixon of St. Louis, Mo., and David A. (and wife Bobbi) Cooper of New Holland; two sisters, Judy James of Rochester and Sharron Cooper of Springfield; one brother, Jim Cooper of Bloomington; five grandchildren, Jarryd, Caitlin, Hailey, Emma and Hanna; 12 nieces and nephews; and 16 great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents; parents; one brother, Larry Dean Cooper; and one great-nephew.

He was a member of the Little Chapel, Logan Bible Fellowship, WLLM / WLUJ prayer group, Middletown Tree Commission, KCB Historical Society in Middletown and the American Legion in Middletown.

He participated in the think tank at The Oasis senior center in Lincoln and in prison ministry at Lincoln. He also taught adults to read through Project Read at Heartland Community College. He was a former Sunday school teacher and church deacon.

He graduated from Normal Community High School; Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, in pharmacy studies; and from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, with a master's in hospital pharmacy and a doctorate in radiation biology. He also attended Moody Bible Institute evening school in Glen Ellyn..

Memorials may be made to Little Chapel, P.O. Box 34, Middletown, IL 62666, for wheelchair ramp and window restoration; or to WLUJ Christian radio station, 600 W. Mason St., Springfield, IL 62702.

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