Jay Cooper

Jay Cooper, 85, of Amarillo, Texas, went to be with the Lord on July 6, 2018. Visitation with the family will be Monday, July 9, 2018 from 6 8 PM at the Rector Funeral Home Osage Chapel (2800 S Osage). Memorial services will be held Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at 2 PM at the Rector Funeral Home Osage Chapel with Pastor Corky Holland from the First Baptist Church of Amarillo officiating. Burial will be in the Panhandle Cemetery in Panhandle, Texas. Jay was born September 20, 1932, in Port, Oklahoma to Albert W. Cooper and May Gertrude Cooper (Lowe). He was the youngest of 9 children. His parents died when he was very young and his older siblings raised him. Jay graduated from high school in Sentinel, Oklahoma in 1950. Jay was a veteran who fought in the Korean War. He loved his country. Jay moved to Amarillo, Texas and began working at the Pantex Plant in 1959. He met Martha Sue Gripp and they married on December 20, 1963 in Panhandle, Texas. Before beginning a family, they traveled around the south with their Square Dance club participating in events. Their first son, Guy Albert Cooper, was born December 19, 1965 and due to complications passed away on January 15, 1966. Jay Wayne Cooper, their second son, was born February 18, 1968 and due to complications passed away on February 19, 1968. On March 10, 1970, their third son, James Daniel Cooper was born and on March 30, 1972, their fourth son, Stanley Mark Cooper was born. Jay retired from Pantex in 1997 after 38 years of service. He spent the next several years working on his family history. He enjoyed doing this and sharing his findings with the family. Jay was a loving husband and dad. He worked hard to provide for his family. After working a full day at Pantex, he would spend his evenings and weekends building room additions or remodeling homes. He instilled in his boys a strong work ethic, the need to take pride in whatever they do and the importance of character. Jay has many cousins, nieces and nephews who he adored and enjoyed spending time with. He LOVED his grandkids, Alysa and Dylan and his great-grand child Matthew. Jay is preceded in death by his parents, all his siblings and their spouses, and his two oldest sons. Jay is survived by his wife, Martha Cooper of Amarillo, James Cooper and his wife Tania of Amarillo and Mark Cooper and Lisa Donatelli of The Colony, Texas. His grandchildren; Alysa Holly and her husband Jeremiah Holly along with their son Matthew of Sapulpa, Oklahoma and Dylan Cooper of Midland, Texas. Jay is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Boys Ranch, PO Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174-0001 or St. Jude Childrens Research Childrens Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105. 10-4 Funeral Service Rector Funeral Home Tuesday, July 10, 2018 2:00 PM 2800 South Osage Amarillo, Texas 79103