October 5, 1971 – January 19, 2023
Narvel Eugene “Gene” Cooper, age 94, of Crystal City, Missouri passed away Friday, January 27, 2023 at his home. He was born May 10, 1928 in Sylvester, Texas, the son of the late John Oliver Cooper and Lottie (nee Phillips) Cooper.
He is survived by sons Michael (Yvonne) Cooper of Crystal City and Bruce (Zoe Ann) Cooper of Festus, Missouri; daughter Dana (Mark) Templeton; a “special child of his heart” Bobbi (Larry) Crawford of Fenton, Missouri; sister Evelyn (the late Ken) Nolen-Sweeney of Hobbs, New Mexico; grandchildren Toni Cooper, Sonya (fiancé Tyler Edwards) Cooper, Jessica (Adam) Feltes, Amanda (Charles) Templeton-Escamilla, Kayla Elizabeth Crawford and Colleen Janae Crawford; great-grandchildren Chloe Skaggs, Tristan Jackson, Atticus Feltes, Lyla Cooper and Kyrian Jackson.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife Ruth Rebecca (nee Park) Cooper; an infant daughter Carla Ann Cooper; grandchildren Travis Michael Cooper, Brandon Rutledge Templeton, Kasey Ann Boyer and McKenna Marie Templeton; sisters Linnie Rue (Sam) Eitel, Ruby Lee (John) Carpenter, Mary Frances (Weldon) Sawyer and Lilly Yvonne “Bonnie” (Bill) Todd; brothers Oliver Earl (Edna) Cooper, Chester (Donna Faye) Cooper, Carl Leslie (Myree) Cooper and Ernest (surviving spouse Sylvia) Cooper.
He was retired from PPG and Buzzi Unicem USA (originally River Cement); longtime member of First Baptist Church of Festus/Crystal City and a member of the Masonic Lodge, Crystal City. He enjoyed the trips he and Rebecca took over the years, listening to music and time with family and friends.
Visitation will be Saturday, February 4, 2023 from 10:00 am until the time of funeral service at 12:00 pm at Vinyard Funeral Home in Festus officiated by Pastor Justin Metiva. Interment will be in Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens in Crystal City. Memorials in Gene’s memory are preferred to Mercy Jefferson Hospice or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Gateway Chapter.