Rev. Robert F. Cooper Sr.

Rev. Robert F. Cooper, Sr. 78, of Winterset passed away Friday, February 8, 2013 at West Bridge Care & Rehabilitation in Winterset under the care of Middle River Hospice. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 13 at the First United Methodist Church in Winterset with burial to immediately follow in the McGinnis Cemetery near Patterson. A visitation will be held 1 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, February 12 at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset where his family will be present to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be made in his name to the family. On-line condolences may be made to the family at www.ochiltree.com. Robert Fredrick Cooper was born May 8, 1934, the eighth child born to George and Mable (Faux) Cooper of rural Patterson, Iowa. He attended school at Patterson, graduating in 1953. He grew up working on the family farm, helping on many neighboring farms, and spending lots of time hunting in the timbers. In 1954, he married Norma Thornburg of Winterset and to this union three children were born, Robert F. Cooper, Jr., Janie Kay Cooper, and Julie Rae Cooper. In 1967, he married Janet Hill and to this union two children were born, Bobbi Jo Cooper and Jerry Paul Cooper. And in 1977, he was united in marriage to Frances (Wiese Kromrie) Boser of Earlham, joining their two families. After graduation from high school, Robert spent the next 20 years working as an industrial mechanic at Swift Edible Oil Company in Des Moines as well other jobs including managing a gas station. He also boxed with the Golden Gloves at the Jewish Community Center in Des Moines for a few years with 20 wins and one loss and was Iowa Central Series Welterweight Champion in 1958. Robert had a Country Western Band called the “Westeners” and the band played around central Iowa for a few years and he also sang on several Des Moines radio stations. Due to an injury, Robert had to make a career change and in 1978 started college. In 1980, he graduated from Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny with an AA Degree in Human Services and in 1982 he graduated from Grandview College in Des Moines with a BA Degree in Religion. In 1982, he moved to Kansas with his family and attended St. Paul’s Methodist School of Theology in Kansas City. Robert was ordained as a Deacon in 1984 and in 1987 he was fully ordained as an Elder of the United Methodist Church. Robert served as pastor to a number of congregations during his 15 years in Kansas, including churches in Iola, Gas City, LaHarpe, Alta Vista, Waverly, Prairie View, Melvern, Horton, Neodesha, Sycamore Valley, Howard and Severy. In 1997, he and his wife moved back to Iowa where he served parishes in Farragut, Riverton, Locust Grove, Summit, Dexter, Redfield, Agency and Eldon. Robert retired in 2003 moving to Greenfield and in 2012, moved to Winterset. Robert enjoyed playing the guitar. He also liked singing, fishing, hunting, and woodworking. For many years, he enjoyed coaching his sons in baseball. Robert greatly enjoyed working with and helping people. Survivors include his wife, Fran Cooper of Winterset; a son, Jerry Cooper of Florida; daughters, Janie McCallister (Melvin Wells) of Omaha, NE, Julie Shiffer of Des Moines, Bobbi Jo Wynes (Randy) of Liberty, MO; stepsons, Jeff Kromrie (Gail) of Bondurant and George Boser (Tasha) of Highlands Ranch, CO; 16 grandchildren; 6 step-grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; 1 step great-grandson; 1 great great-grandson; sisters, Dorothy Hayes of Hide Away TX; Zola Sheeley of Ogden; Shirley Freeman of St. Charles; Barbara Seymour of Des Moines; Sharon Truelson of Indianola; and many nieces, nephews; extended family and friends. Robert was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Robert F. Cooper, Jr.; brothers, Orville (infancy) and Byron ‘Buck’ Cooper; sisters, Velma (infancy), Josephine Couch, Pearl Kellogg Cronk, and Daisy Maxon; a niece and several nephews.