T/Sgt. William Anderson Cooper passed away Sunday, May 29 at age 90. Andy was a long-time resident of Swink, OK. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Froney Mae (Baker) and George Dalton Cooper on July 24, 1931.

In 1948, Andy joined the Army-Air Corps attending Basic Training at Fort Ord Army Base in Monterey, California. He received medical aid training at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston Base in San Antonio, Texas. His first assignment was at Fassberg Air Base, Germany during the 1948-1949 Berlin Airlift Crises when Soviet forces blockaded rail, road, and water access to allied-controlled areas of Berlin. He participated in getting coal, flour, and other cargo into West Berlin.  From there, he was transferred to Neubiberg Air Base, Germany where he attended Drivers Training School and Military Safety School Training in Accident Prevention, First Aid, and Fire Prevention. He then completed medical training in Medical Lab, Chest X-Ray, and Outpatient training. Military Medic and First Aid Maneuvers took place in Metz, France.

When Army-Air separated into two military branches, he transferred from the Army to the United States Air Force. He served in hospitals on Eglin AFB , Fort Walton, Florida where he served internship in all hospital departments and received medical surgical training and base management; Gunter AFB Air University School of Aviation Medicine, Montgomery, Alabama where he received a diploma of Medical Service Technician and completed courses in Phase 1 SAC Security Indoctrination and Air Force Supervisors Management; Narsarsuazq AFB , Thule, Greenland, Denmark; Lincoln AFB Hospital, Lincoln, Nebraska; Forbes AFB Hospital , Topeka Kansas. While in Kansas, through correspondence courses, he received his high school diploma from the United States Armed Forces Institute, Madison, Wisconsin and received his certificate of achievement from the state of Kansas. In Lajes AFB Azores, Portugal (Terceira Island), he completed OJT Training and Supervisor courses.

On December 31 ^, 1968, he retired at Perrin AFB in Sherman, TX after twenty years serving in military hospitals as operating room supervisor and technician. He was a member of the Military Retired Association. After his military career, he lived out his life as a cattle rancher/farmer north of Swink, OK. Andy was an avid fisherman, hunter, traveler, and enjoyed playing cards and dominoes and watching professional football. He was of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Faith. He believed he was responsible for his own actions and that his relationship with God was personal. Andy loved and believed in the greatness of America, flying our nation's flag daily.

Andy is preceded in death by his parents George and Froney Mae (Baker) Cooper, brother Tony Edward Cooper, sister Mae Oma Provence, brothers-in-laws Clifford Poteet, Max Thomason, Toby Blair, Ray Fennell, JW Tuck, In-laws Richard and Delores Bland, Jr. and June James, Jack and Geneva Hudson, Wayne and Mary Duncan, son William Woodruff, step-son Ronald Tucker, step-daughter Sheila Watts; grandsons Allan Dale Kilburn and Jason Woodruff; paternal grandparents George and Luthenia (Ferguson) Cooper and maternal grandparents William G. and Ellie L. (Hoover) Baker.

Andy is survived by his loving wife Ester Jane Cooper, sisters Goldie Thomason of Stroud, Burniece Tuck of Idabel, Mildred Litsey and husband Lester of Ft. Towson; brother Quorter Cooper and wife Mary of Hugo; brother-in-law Harden Provence of Swink, Bill Duncan and wife Sue of Spencerville; daughter-in law Mary Woodruff of Peru, Nebraska;  children Dale Allen of Nevada, Teresa and husband John Colley of Spencerville; Charlene and husband Mike Ridgway of Durant; Clayton Cooper and girlfriend Felicia Freeman of Mead, Sheila and Kerry Robinson of Roberta; Stepchildren Debbie Tucker of Rattan, Donald Tucker and wife Tammy of Burkburnett, TX; grandchildren William Cogburn and wife Tammy of Hugo, Brian Cogburn of Wright City, Rachel Davis and husband Ethan of Norman; M. Andrew Ridgway of Ada; Chase Cooper of Calera; Tashona Burcham and husband Chance of Roberta; Ashlyn Loper and husband Josh of Mead; Jennifer Woodruff and fiancé Raymond Lingle of Lesterville, SD; Stephanie Woodruff-Corliss of Sabetha, KS; Amanda Andelt of Beatrice, NE; Warren Woodruff of Sterling, NE; Jason James of Peru, NE; Reanna Allen-Phillips of Stuart, FL; Emily Allen of Stuart, FL; Casey Allen of Blythe, GA; Jeffrey Allen of Missoula, MT; Mandy Mason and husband Tony of Lincoln, NE and many  great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

In leu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org).