Constance 'Connie' Cooper Obituary (1937

Constance Jo Cooper passed peacefully in her home surrounded by family from complications due to Lewy Body Dementia. Connie was born to Nance and Geraldine Bauer on December 5, 1937 in Ritzville WA. Connie grew up on the family farm while attending and graduating from Ritzville High School in 1956. Connie then went to college at Washington State University where she pledged Delta Gamma sorority and earned her Bachelors degree in Sociology. Connie made many lifelong friends including her best friend and soulmate, Kenneth Cooper. They married February 20, 1960 and Ken joined the Army spending the next 20 years experiencing military life. Their first post was Ford Dix in New Jersey where their first child, Carah was born, April 27, 1962 and had their second child, Kenneth Jr. while stationed in Okinawa, Japan in 1965. Connie settled into the life of being a military wife and enjoyed many wives club activities and raising her 2 children. Connie and her family were stationed in many different places throughout the United States, the last being Honolulu, Hawaii where they spent 2 years playing in the waves, eating exotic Asian dishes, entertaining tourists and learning about Polynesian cultures, before returning to Ritzville, Washington. Ken and Connie bought a farm house and they helped the Bauers farm. The next 7 years they learned about wheat farming, swine raising, gardening, plus the trials and tribulations of modernizing the old farm property. When the kids flew the coop, Ken changed his occupation and they moved to Yakima. She made many friends and enjoyed bowling on a womens league and spending time at the pool watching her grandchildren swim. She also enjoyed camping, skiing, sewing and quilting, entertaining, cooking oriental and Hawaiian cuisine, which she learned and enjoyed during her travels while in the military. Connie was preceded in death by her parents, Nance and Geraldine Bauer and brother, Patrick Bauer. Connie is survived by her husband, Ken Cooper, daughter, Carah (Craig) Heesh, son, Ken (Kimberly) Cooper Jr, brother, Mike (Sandy) Bauer, sister, Pam (Don) VanWinkle, grandchildren, Nikkole, Ashley, K.C., Kaitlyn, and Andrew, and two great grandchildren, Ellamae and Evelyn, plus many nieces and nephews. The Cooper family wants to give a heartfelt thank you to Memorial Hospice, Cottage in the Meadow, and her amazing private caregivers, Suzette and Janice. There will be a Graveside Service at Tahoma Cemetery on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 10:00am followed by a Reception at Yakima Covenant Church (6015 Summitview Avenue, Yakima, WA 98908). In Lieu of flower please donate to Memorial Hospice or Wounded Warriors, in care of Brookside Funeral Home (PO Box 1267, Moxee, WA 98936) who is caring for the family. Graveside Service Tahoma Cemetery Saturday, November 16, 2019 10:00 AM 1802 Tahoma Avenue Yakima, Washington 98902 Reception to follow at Yakima Covenant Church (6015 Summitview Ave, Yakima, WA 98908).