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Milton (Mick) J. Cooper

Posted 2010-06-16 by Sharla
The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ
Wednesday, June 16, 2010

“Mick” Milton J. Cooper, beloved son of May Page, passed peacefully away June 10 to be with Almighty God our heavenly Father, where he will be free of pain at last. He had been in Hospice of the Valley in Surprise, Ariz., since May 18. He fought hard to stay in his home in Mobile Gardens in Wittmann, Ariz., the last seven years and managed it pretty well with friends and healthcare help.

“Mick” was born April 4, 1944 at the W. J. Cooper Ranch in Nucla, Colo., with Dr. Mary Moore in attendance who was company doctor of Vanadium & Uranium Corporation of America. The nearest hospital was 90 miles away. Mick was the son of James F. Cooper, deceased, and May Page of Wickenburg. He is survived by Mina Voss, Bob Voss, Joyce Lomax, aunts and uncle; Robert Lynn Atkinson, Linda Coe and Michael Hayward, cousins, all on his father’s side; Mary Elder, Paul Evans, aunt and uncle; Bill Carroll, Earl and Claudette Elder, cousins on his mother’s side; his mother, May Page resides at 460 S. West Road in Wickenburg, Ariz.

After World War II, Mick and his parents moved to Montrose, Colo., where Mick attended school. When he was 17 he joined the National Guard and left for basic training for one year. When he returned, he enlisted into the United States Army and left on his first assignment, which was Korea. From there he went to Ft. Richardson, Alaska. He was Brigade and Post Soldier of the Month while at Ft. Richardson. Next he went to Germany where he graduated with honors of the 7th Army NCO Academy and Maintenance School.

In 1967 he went to Vietnam with the 30th Field Artillery Regiment for two years. He returned to Germany for R&R and school then returned to Vietnam for a second tour. He returned to Ft. Richardson, Alaska, and spent many days fighting forest fires in Alaska. His last assignment was Fort Polk, La., where he was schooled in nuclear warheads. He was then assigned to NCO in charge of United States Army Halfway House in Ft. Polk, La. He received his honorable discharge in 1976. In 1978, as a civilian, he went to Saudi Arabia to teach military tactics to the Saudi Arabian National Guard.

Mick had a rough time accepting the way military veterans were treated after Vietnam. Jobs were not plentiful but through his faith in God and AA he found his place helping people as resident manager at Crossroads Men’s Halfway House in Phoenix. From there he was employed by ComCare Hospitals in California who provided rehabilitation and care for alcoholics and drug addicts. His last assignment with ComCare was in Aurora, Colo., where he worked in acute psychiatric care, specializing in chemical dependency.

In 1994 Mick came back to Arizona and enrolled in pharmacy technology at the Arizona School of Pharmacy of Scottsdale. He graduated and received his certification in November 1996. He worked as a pharmacy technician until his health started to fail. The last seven years he has spent trying to cope with bad health and just keep going.

Mick’s all-time prayer was that our military troops coming home now will be treated with care, concern and respect and that they will receive help from our government in Washington, D.C., that they have earned by serving in the military to protect our country.

Mick was a member of American Legion Kellis Draper Post 12 of Wickenburg, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 15003, and was a lifetime member of Disabled Veterans of America, Glendale Chapter 20 as well as the National Rifle Association. He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association and will be remembered at the 30th Field Artillery Regiment “Hard Chargers” Seventeenth Annual Reunion in Ft. Sills, Okla., on June 23 through 27. Chaplain Ron Carter will be saying a prayer in Mick’s name.

There will be no funeral at this time. A military memorial service will be held this fall at St. Albans Episcopal Church in the memorial garden, date and time will be announced. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of David’s Desert Chapel in Wickenburg. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley, 14066 W. Waddell Road, Surprise, AZ 85379 or St. Albans Memorial Garden, 357 Yavapai, Wickenburg.


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