Albert Cooper

Albert Cooper, age 87, passed away Monday, June 2, 1997, at the Kanawha Community Home.

Albert, the son of John and Johanna (Beninga) Cooper, was born August 19, 1909, on a farm near Kanahwa.  He graduated from Kanawha High School in 1927.

He was united in marriage to Margaret Smith on September 1, 1936, in Kanawha, where they resided until her death on June 11, 1973.  On May 7, 1977, he was married to Martha Whitney VanderPloeg in Britt, Iowa.

His business activities began with the Reiken Ford Motors.  Then he operated the Local John Deere dealership until 1947, when he entered into an insurance career.  He was a partner in the Knudsen & Cooper Agency until 1962, when his son Larry joined him with the Cooper Agency until his retirement.

Albert held a great love for his church, the Kanawha Christian Reformed Church and a mission outreach with the Gideons.  He enjoyed promoting the community, assisted in the development of Dordt College, the Kanawha Christian School, the Kanawha Community Home, served the Hancock Mutual Insurance Association and many others.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Margaret, two sisters and six brothers.

Albert is survived by his wife, Martha of Britt; his four children, Anita and her husband, David Brink of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Larry and his wife, Janice of Kanawha; Bonnie and her husband, James Geerdes of Wellsburg; Terry and his wife, Lynn of Thatcher, Arizona; fourteen grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; two sisters, Gertie Knoll and her husband, Clayton of Mason City; Grace Hole of Mason City; one brother, William and his wife, Muriel of Clear Lake; four step-children, fourteen step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren.