John Dean (Jeff) Cooper |
| Posted 2008-03-04 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Instrumental in firearms training to thousands - World-renowned firearms expert Jeff Cooper, founder of the Gunsite firearms training center in Paulden, died Monday afternoon at his home near the training center. Cooper, 86, had been battling several health problems in recent years. The family plans a private burial ceremony and will announce a memorial ceremony at the National Rifle Association Whittington Center in New Mexico in the near future. Cooper had been a member of the NRA Board of Directors. Born on May 20, 1920, in Los Angeles, as John Dean Cooper, Cooper who always went by "Jeff," earned a master's degree in history and taught history. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II as well as in Southeast Asia and Korea. In the 1960s, he organized a group called the Bear Valley Gunslingers and the Southwest Combat League. During the organizations' shooting competitions at Big Bear, he formulated the Modern Technique of combat handgun shooting which incorporates a large-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a two handed Weaver stance, breath control and a surprise trigger break. In 1976, he founded the American Pistol Institute, or Gunsite, at Paulden to teach those pistol techniques and later added a full curriculum on pistols, rifles and shotguns. Since then, more than 18,000 students, including celebrities like Tom Selleck, law enforcement officers, military members from many nations and many civilians have graduated from courses there. Cooper sold the operation in 1992 and dissociated himself from the new owners but continued to live on the land in a home he called The Sconce. He became involved with the center again in 1999 when it changed ownership. He was a frequent sight on the grounds clad in green military fatigues and riding around the sprawling property on a three-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. Known in firearms circles as "The Gunner's Guru," Cooper taught about firearms in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, South Africa and Rhodesia. Many have called him the world's foremost expert on small arms (rifles, pistols and shotguns). He was editor at large of Guns & Ammo Magazine and a prolific writer on firearms. His books include "The Art of the Rifle," "Another Country," Sports Car Annual," "Fireworks," "To Ride, Shoot Straight and Speak the Truth," "C Stories" and "Gunsite Gossip," Volumes I and II as well as the many articles he wrote for Guns & Ammo Magazine. He also produced "Cooper's Commentaries," a series of monthly essays on the Internet. In his writings, Cooper coined the term "hoplophobia" to denote the irrational fear of weapons. He hunted big game all over the world and especially loved Africa. He also was an avid sports car enthusiast. Cooper received the American Handgunner Award in 1995 and the St. Gabriel Possenti Award. St. Gabriel is the patron saint of shooters. Surviving are his widow, Janelle Cooper; three daughters, Christy, Mrs. Chick Hastings of Prescott, Parry, Mrs. Bruce Health of Denver, Colo., and Lindy, Mrs. Joe Wisdom of Tempe, as well as five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Wednesday, October 11, 2006 USMC Lt. Colonel John Dean (Jeff) Cooper died Monday, Sept. 25, 2006, at the age of 86, surrounded by his loving family at "The Sconce," his home in Paulden, Arizona. Born May 10, 1920, in Los Angeles, Calif., Cooper earned his BA. from Stanford University and a Master's Degree in History from the University of California. He served with the U.S. Marines in the Pacific Theatre in World War II, and thereafter in Korea and Southeast Asia. Col. Cooper was an avid outdoorsman and hunter, collecting big game on many continents, most notably his beloved Africa. He was a highly-regarded writer on hunting and shooting, as well as philosophy and government - even automobile racing. Determined to discover what skills allow some to prevail in armed encounters, Col, Cooper founded a series of pistol matches in Big Bear Lake, Calif. These were the first organized "combat matches" ever conceived. Col. Cooper carefully observed and codified what worked in these matches and out of these observations lie built the tenets of what would become the Modern Technique of the Pistol, a system and methodology that has saved the lives of thousands of serving law enforcement personnel, military operatives and private citizens. Col. Cooper went on to found the International Practical Shooting Confederation, an organization devoted to the continued development of the combat shooting, discipline. Today, that organization is world-wide, hosting thousands of matches each year. Only a very few can say that they have begun an international movement, but Col. Cooper did so. In 1976, Col. Cooper and his wife Janelle founded the American Pistol Institute, or "Gunsite" as it came to be known, in Paulden, Arizona. Cooper expanded the curriculum beyond its original concentration on the pistol to embrace nearly all smallarms. Thus, that student could (once he had attained his or her basic qualification) branch out to the shotgun, the hunting rifle, the carbine and nearly any other small arms system. Most of today's firearms trainers have studied at Gunsite. Today, Gunsite still provides the Colonel's doctrine, and serves as the most well-known of firearms training schools in the world. It is open to all of good character, as the Colonel originally specified. Col. Cooper believed the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, was a "living, breathing" document, meant to be interpreted exactly as it was written - a document intended to keep free people free. Cooper maintained that the Second Amendment was America's first and most important freedom – and he served until the time of his death on the Board of Directors of the NRA to see that that freedom survives for our children. Cooper was a prodigious writer who published many books and hundreds of articles, many in Guns and Ammo Magazine, where he long had a monthly column called "Cooper's Corner." A natural linguist, Col. Cooper attracted friends and colleagues from all around the world. His many hunting trips to Africa and his travels to Europe and elsewhere ensured a steady dialogue with ' people of, many cultures. Indeed, "Pik Jeff Cooper," a mountain in the Tien Shan ' Range, is named for him. Colonel Cooper was a man whose like is seldom seen in a generation, or in a century. He personified the concept of manly virtue as the Greeks applauded it two thousand years ago. His writings and teachings ranged wide across the enterprises of men, and we will not often see one like him again. In an age of mediocrity, he refused to accept anything but excellence in himself and those around him. He felt -that happiness was not a goal in itself, but the by-product of achievement; that of all the worldly, pleasures, only learning itself had no surfeit. Therefore, an invitation to his table or hearth was an exercise of the guest's dialectic abilities - a challenge in itself, and no small honor. Col. Copper is survived by Janelle, his loving wife and confidante of 64 years; three daughters, Christy, Mrs. Chick Hastings of Prescott, Ariz.; Parry, Mrs. Bruce Heath of Denver, Colo., and Lindy, Mrs. Joe Wisdom of Tempe, Ariz.; as well as five grandchildren and five great-grand-children. A memorial service is, tentatively scheduled for: May 10, 2007, at the NRA Whittington Center in New Mexico. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that friends become Life Members of the National Rifle Association, or make contributions to the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund. Interested parties may enquire of the NRA at 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax,VA 22030. Arrangements have been entrusted to The Hampton Funeral Home of Prescott, Arizona. |
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