COOPER, John W.

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Friday, May 30, 2014 John W. Cooper was born in Prescott, Ariz., on Sept. 25, 1927. When 1 month old, he was brought home to his family's homestead on Spring Creek that is now called "Cooper Ranch." John died at his home there on May 17, 2014. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Velma; two children, John II and Mary Cooper (Tom Hamill); four grandchildren, Sarah, Amy, Emily and Marissa; and one great-grandchild, "Cooper." John's father was killed in 1939, when John was 11, and the three boys and their mother, Nel, continued running the Angora goat ranch without him. In 1945, Angora goat hair, Mohair, was replaced with synthetics and the goats were replaced with cattle. As price of beef went down, the cost of living went up, and to offset that problem, John and his wife Velma became teachers, John in Washington District and Velma in Alhambra District. In 1977, John flew his wife Velma and his mother Nel in his Cessna 182, landing at Kennedy International, where they caught a charter flight to England for a three-week tour of England, Scotland and Ireland. In 1981, a near-death crash in a motorized ultra-light airplane forced his retirement. For the June memorial and potluck at the ranch, call 928-427-3219 or 928-899-8630. In lieu of flowers, bring fencing materials (T posts/stave wire/staves, etc). Information provided by survivors.