Vivian I. Cooper

She came into the world crying and her family rejoiced.  On November 10, 2017, she departed from this world rejoicing, and we cried.

Vivian Ione (Donner) Cooper was born January 26, 1927, in Richland County to Lawrence and Bertha (Grandstaff) Donner.  She attended schools in Richland and Crawford Counties. She graduated from Soldiers Grove High School, Richland County Normal, and UW Platteville.

Mom had a wonderful marriage with Grant Genard Cooper, and they were parents to six children: Jeanne (Jack) Gutweiler, Muscoda; Pamela (Phil) Warren, Boise, Idaho; Nancy (Jim) Reck, De Pere; Donald (Debbie Millard), Portage; Daniel (Linda Pulver), Rice Lake; and Paula (Jude Balzer), Pardeeville.

Mom taught in elementary schools in Richland and Columbia Counties for many years. She was a kind and loving teacher who instilled a love for learning in her students. She has a scrapbook full of notes from grateful students. She also taught Sunday School, was a Girl Scout leader, and was a Cub Scout Den Mother. She also was a member of Angie Cox Library Book Club, and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Reading, embroidery, and road trips were favorite past-times. She often read several books at once and recommended them to friends and family. She spent countless hours embroidering, and many friends and family members received embroidered dish towels or pillow cases. She was famous for clipping newspaper articles or interesting tidbits from books to share with others. “Cleaning the attic is long, slow work, indeed.  It would go much faster if I’d never learned to read.” Her memory was amazing as evidenced from her recitations of stories and poems. She had a wonderful childhood and passed that on to her own children. 

Mom was always thoughtful, kind, and considerate of others. Even in her last few weeks, she was worried about making too much work for the staff at The Remington House, where she received exceptional care. Every staff member treated her as if she was their own mother. Her last lesson to her loved ones was how to die gracefully.

She is survived by her six children, 12 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter; one sister Lola (Grant) Bristol, and two brothers-in-law, Gerald (Betty) Cooper, and Gordon Buroker. She is further survived by many nieces, nephews, and faithful friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Grant, parents, three sisters, Myrna Nimocks, Florence Goplin, Doretta Buroker; and one brother Virgil Donner. She was also preceded by her in-laws Orville and Alma Cooper, Burton Nimocks, Lloyd Goplin, Gordon and Arline Cooper, Elaine Donner and daughter-in-law Judith Cooper.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, November 14, from 4 to 8 PM at Grasse Funeral Home in Pardeeville. A celebration of her life will be held at North Scott Baptist Church in Pardeeville, where she had been a member since 1969, Wednesday, November 15 at 11 AM. Visitation will also be held from 10 AM until the time of services at the church. She will be laid to rest at Pardeeville Cemetery following the service.

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