Dora Eliza (Wheeler) Cooper, 89, of Hampshire House, Oneonta, passed away peacefully on September 29, 2019 at Albany Medical Center after complications from a stroke. She had been in declining health since August 2018.
Dora was born on Sunday, October 13, 1929 at 705 Elton Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City, daughter of Lula (Oliver) Wheeler and Leroy Wheeler. She attended PS 38. She spent many summers at her Aunt Marguerite & Uncle Edward Oliver’s farm in Laurens and enjoyed being on the farm with her cousins.
She moved to 46 Riverview Avenue in Oneonta in 1939 where she lived for many years. She went to the former River Street School. She enjoyed ice skating, swimming at the YMCA and at her family’s camp on Sunnycrest Road Goodyear Lake. She swam many times across the lake to the point. She also loved bicycling and biked many times between Goodyear Lake and Oneonta and to Gilbert Lake in Laurens with friends. She walked roughly 4 miles a day to the former Junior High and Senior High on Academy St. and home for lunch. While in High School she had part time jobs at Woolworth’s, Newberry’s and Gates’s Grocery on River Street. She was a proud member of the Girl Scouts of America and enjoyed going to scout camp at Lake Otsego. She always had a special place in her heart for the 6th ward.
She graduated from Oneonta High School in 1948. She was in the chorus and played Clarinet in the OHS Marching Band.
In July 1948, she went to work for New York Telephone as an Operator. She started out in the former yellow brick building at 1 Dietz Street. She had great memories of working in that building before dial telephones when every call had to go through the switchboard. She went to work in the new building at 17 Elm Street in 1959 and worked there and other locations. She worked her way up in the company and was in traffic, management, and engineering for many years. After 34 years of service she retired from the Utica office in October 1982. She loved to tell people in 2016 that she had been retired as many years as she worked! Dora was an active member at work and during retirement in the Telecom Pioneers Oneonta/Norwich chapter where she was involved with charity & community work. At one time she did a lot of traveling and served as a Community Chairman. She attended the monthly luncheons and looked forward to seeing old friends. She was also a proud union member of the CWA Local 1126.
She married Richard E. Cooper of Colliersville on November 12, 1949. They divorced in 1961.
She met Herbert H. Taite in January 1967 and they had 40 years together until his death in January 2007. They spent many winters at Satellite Beach Florida and enjoyed the many friendships there. They also enjoyed going to Herb’s army reunions in various parts of the country. They enjoyed gardening together. She was a great care giver to Herb during his illnesses.
Dora was a Brownie troop leader from 1950-1953.
Dora was a wonderful mother to her son David. In earlier years at her family’s camp, she would take him out on the lake in the rowboat and walk around the various dirt roads, picking wildflowers. She was always there for him at school activities and enjoyed her many visits with him when he lived in Boston. She enjoyed going to theater and concerts in Boston and meeting him for lunch downtown. She especially enjoyed a concert over Mother’s Day of the Boston Pops when her son surprised her with seats for dinner on the floor with the orchestra. She also enjoyed her visits with him in New Hampshire and the last time she drove a long distance was when he got married in June 2009.
In earlier years, she enjoyed cooking, baking and having friends and relatives at the house for dinners, especially on Christmas Eve.
She attended the First United Methodist Church for 60 plus years.
She lived on Franklin Street for 51 years before moving to St. James Retirement Community where she lived for 13 ½ years. She liked growing a few vegetables in her yard at St. James and enjoyed her 3-4 times a day walks at St. James with her friend Barbara Ashmore. Her last year, she lived at Hampshire House Assisted Living and was very comfortable there.
In the 1960’s, she enjoyed sewing and made many dresses. She enjoyed crocheting but her favorite hobby was knitting for many years and made several sweaters, afghans and little children’s hats and mittens which she made for the Bugbee Children’s Center in Oneonta.
She enjoyed her many trips to Ogunquit Maine and taking long walks on the Marginal Way and Ogunquit Beach.
She is survived by her son, David B. Cooper and his husband James E. Batchelder of Exeter, NH, a step granddaughter Keri Jacobs and her husband Kevin and a step great grandson Nicholas of Broomfield, Colorado and a few cousins. She is also survived by John Taite and his wife Priscilla and their families. She is also survived by Joseph & Kathryn Long and their daughters, Jennifer, Kathleen, Margaret, and Patricia and their husbands and children.
She is predeceased by a sister Shirley Ann Wheeler, her stepfather Lewis Johnson, her father Leroy Wheeler, her mother Lula Johnson, her longtime companion of 40 years, Herbert Taite, and many close friends.
At Dora’s request, she was cremated and did not wish to have any services.
Special thanks to her friends and neighbors Barbara Ashmore and Arlene Osterhoudt also, Kathy Clarkson and the staff at St. James Retirement Community, to her cousin Madolyn Palmer for her many visits to Hampshire house, and to Amy Hasak and her wonderful staff at Hampshire House for looking out for her. Special thanks to her extended family Kathleen (Long) Pitruzzello & her husband Bill, who had a wonderful visit with her just prior to her stroke.
If you would like to donate in her memory, donations may be made to the Bugbee Children’s Center, Attn: Becky Miller, Director Bugbee Hall, One State Street, Oneonta, NY 13820, in memory of Dora Cooper.
To leave a condolence for the family online, please visit www.bookhoutfh.com.
Arrangements are by the Bookhout Funeral Home of Oneonta.
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