Longtime East San Gabriel Valley educator, David Lee Cooper, died from a heart attack in Reeds Spring, Missouri and was buried in his home town of McAlester, Oklahoma.
Cooper, 66, retired in 1990 after working 11 years as a teacher and administrator in the Duarte Unified School District and for 13 years as a principal in the Charter Oak Unified School District.
"Cooper was well-liked by both staff and students when he served at Ruddock Elementary School where he was principal from 1977 to 1988. He was down-home. He never met anyone that he didn't act as if he had known them for a long time," said Judy Kubicek who was Cooper's secretary during his 11 years at Ruddock.
Cooper began his career in education in 1966 as a math teacher at what was then Northview Junior High School in Duarte.
After earning a master's degree in education, he served both as assistant principal at Northview where he was instrumental in the school's conversion from an intermediate to a middle school. He also served as principal at Andres Duarte Middle and Beardsley Elementary schools.
He was a founding director of Christian Children's Services of California, a non-profit organization that provided free counseling, adoption services and other assistance to unwed mothers. Cooper was an active member of the Church of Christ in Azusa and worked with other church and charitable organizations throughout his life, including Sunset Haven, Fair Haven Children's Home. After moving to Missouri, he was called "teacher of the Word" by his dear friends at the Kimberling City Church of Christ. "He brought to the Eldership great wisdom and insight."
Survivors include O'Leta Sutton Cooper, his wife of more than 45 years; three adult children; three grandchildren; his mother; and a sister.
Published: San Gabriel Valley (CA) Tribune 11-13-1998 A3

Grandson of Robert Lee Cooper & Emily Sophia (Boone) Cooper and Henry Lee Coston & Willie Beatrice (Cannady) Coston .