Norman Leroy Cooper
Marriages
Amy Jo Clemens
Betty Joan Cobb - June 1957
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7B Obituary - July 19, 2017
It all started July 21, 1932,
when Norman Leroy "Corky"
Cooper was born to Julius
Roscoe Cooper and Stella
Gladys (Hill) Cooper in the
old St. Mary’s Hospital on
11th and Colorado in Grand
Junction, CO.
The family moved to Delta,
CO soon after his birth, where
Norm attended school through
high school graduation and enjoyed working with his extended
family on the farm on California Mesa. It was there he was
lovingly dubbed "Corky" when he was learning the task of
irrigating; a nickname that he proudly acknowledged for
decades.
In high school, Corky developed his love for sports, with
football heading the list. His position was running back, number
35. He played a bit while in the Navy and his first year college
at Mesa Jr. College.
It is common knowledge that he was an avid Bronco fan and
attended Super Bowl XXXII with his son, Rick, was a once in a
life time experience.
Norm joined the US Navy in June, 1951, and spent the next
two years in Yokosuka, Japan on board a Harbor Tug Boat.
Later, he was assigned duty aboard a small air craft carrier, USS
Point Cruz.
After his discharge, Norm attended Mesa Jr. College for two
years where he met Betty Joan Cobb and married in June, 1957.
Four children were born from this union: Cindy (Dennis)
Phillips; Rick (Susan) Cooper; Ron (Kim) Cooper, and Brenda
Nichols.
Joan died of cancer in 1997.
Corky’s career started in the finance business. After eight
years, he joined the US Bank for 18 years. Eventually he was
with the Bank of Grand Junction as a Senior Vice President and
director until his retirement. He has said many times, "I enjoyed
every day of my work. There are lots of great people in this
valley and they made my job a pleasure, not a challenge".
Before his retirement, Norm was active in Jaycee’s, Elks, as
well as coaching young boys Little League Baseball for nine
years. He loved coaching. His interests have been varied;
hunting with his son, Ron, fishing and boating on Blue Mesa
with his daughter, Brenda, day trips and family gatherings with
daughter, Cindy and as already mentioned, the thrill of Super
Bowl weekend with his son, Rick. Most recently his love for
classic cars morphed ito being the proud owner of several.
Norm later married Amy Jo Clemens. They enjoyed life and
many travels until his health deteriorated. Amy has two
daughters, Dana (Carl) Hawk, and DeAnn Piper, and three
grandchildren.
He leaves behind two brothers, Larry Cooper of Nucla, and
Harold Duane Cooper of Grand Junction; seven grandchildren,
and ten great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be sent to HopeWest Hospice.
Memorial services will be July 22, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at First
Baptist Church, 7th and Grand Ave.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7B Death Notice - July 19, 2017
Norman LeRoy Cooper, 84, Grand Junction, died July 16, 2017,
in Grand Junction.
Services will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist
Church.
He was a commercial banker.
Survivors include his wife, Amy Jo; two sons, Richard LeRoy of
Phoenix, and Ronald Dean of Grand Junction; two daughters, Cynthia
Diane Phillips of Grand Junction, and Brenda Jo Nichols of
Montrose; two brothers, Larry Cooper of Nucla, and Duane Cooper
of Grand Junction; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to HopeWest, 3090B N. 12th St., Grand
Junction 81506.
