James H. Cooper

James Howard Cooper died March 3 after a brief illness. He was 82.

Cooper was born Dec. 27, 1934, in Malta, Montana, the third child of Uriel and Elizabeth Jane (McCurdy) Cooper. He graduated from Three Forks High School, and went on to get his bachelor’s degrees in electrical/electronic engineering at Montana State University at Bozeman.

He worked for General Electric in Schenectady, New York. He then served in the Air Force, stationed at San Antonio, Texas for four years and then it was extended by half a year due to the Cuban missile crises. After he completed his military service, he returned to Montana State University at Bozeman, graduating in 1964 with his master’s degree in electrical engineering. He met his wife, Pat, in the Outing Club at the college while practicing climbing techniques. They were married in Bozeman in August 1964. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Livermore, California where Cooper took a job with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He continued to work in the Bay Area for various companies, until retiring.

He helped establish the Emergency Fund Center of Livermore. He served as a Sunday school teacher, treasurer, usher and on-the-lawn committee for Asbury Methodist Church.

In their retirement, Cooper and his wife enjoyed camping in Death Valley, White Mountain and Lake Tahoe.

He leaves his wife of 52 years, Patricia (Schrader) Cooper; his daughter, Mary Stuart and husband Merrill; his son, James Christopher Cooper; his daughter, Patricia Jane Cooper; his brother, Arthur and wife Jane, Ann Cooper of Three Forks, Montana; four grandchildren, Madison and Mackenzie Stuart and Kennedy and Savannah Cooper. He was pre-deceased by his sister, Mary Lou Baker.

A celebration of life memorial was recently held at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 1315 Lomitas Ave. in Livermore.

Memorial contributions may be made to support Huntington’s disease research at UC Davis Health. Checks, payable to UC Regents with James Cooper in the memo area, may be sent to: UC Davis Health, Health Sciences Development, 4900 Broadway, Suite 1150. Sacramento, California, 95820.