Emanuel Carl Cooper Sr.

1 Corinthians 15:58

He embodied work, physically and spiritually.

Emanuel Carl Cooper was born on May 2, 1932, in High Springs, Florida, to the late James L. and Bertha (nee Morrell) Cooper. He departed this life on August 23, 2023. Emanuel accepted the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age. Emanuel aka “Coop” was a proud Army veteran and served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953

Emanuel married his sweetheart Mamie Lee Williams on February 28, 1955, and moved to Buffalo, NY soon after. The newlyweds joined Youngs Tabernacle Holiness Church under the leadership of the Late Bishop Lucy H. Young, and Emanuel served faithfully as a Deacon, Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, and choir member. He truly enjoyed singing for the Lord and was tenor for the Tabernacleaires quintet. He served Young’s Tabernacle faithfully until deciding to return home to Florida in 1980.

From an early age, he learned the value of hard work, dedication, and commitment. He was employed with General Motors in Tonawanda, NY, and a card-carrying member of United Auto Workers for 25 years before retiring in 1980 while simultaneously owning and operating Cooper’s Barbershop located at 1145 E. Ferry St. in Buffalo, where he cut the hair, shaved, counseled, and mentored young and older men daily.

Upon moving to Titusville, Florida, he continued as a servant at the First Born Church of the Living God, under the shepherding of the late Bishop Walter Levi Smith Sr and Bishop Frank Southerland as Head Deacon and Sunday School teacher. Emanuel loved playing the drums, singing, and speaking about his love for the Lord. When given the opportunity, he often sang his favorite song, which was the reframe of his life, “May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me.”

“The work I’ve done,

They may seem so small.

Sometimes, they may seem like nothing at all.

But when I stand before my God,

I want to hear him say, “Servant well done.”

May the work I’ve done speak for me.”

1980, he also began a new career as a security officer for the Kennedy Space Center. His colleagues, pilots, and astronauts highly respected him, and he was a diligent employee until he retired in 1995. Emanuel received multiple awards for Employee of the Year and perfect attendance while working at Cape Canaveral.

He was an avid sports fan. If any of his favorite teams, the Buffalo Bills, Orlando Magic, or a good boxing match, was on the television, you would find him watching. And he would welcome any challenge to a footrace. He loved to fish for hours from a bank or on his boat and took pride in the extraordinary vegetables in his gardens.

Emanuel dearly loved his 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren and could be heard answering to a myriad of special names they created for him (PeePop, PopPop, PeePaw, GrandPaw, Granddad). He would greet them all with an open-armed, deep booming, “Great day in the morning!”

Emanuel was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years, Mamie, his son Emanuel C. Hedgeman, and brothers Horace Cooper, James Cooper, Joseph Cooper, and Harold Lewis.

He leaves to cherish his memory his children Emanuel C. Jr. (Gloria), Randy L. Sr. (Sandra), Valerie L., Shawn E. (Jameca), daughter-in-law Jeanette Hedgeman, sisters Gladys Fayson (George), Bertha Hickman (Izell), Verdell McKinney, Beatrice Flagg (Henry), brother-in-law Daniel Williams, godchildren, and a host of family and friends.

A visitation for Emanuel will be held Thursday, August 31, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at First Born Church of The Living God, 1043 2nd Avenue, Titusville, FL 32780, followed by a funeral service from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM.

Emanuel will be laid to rest in Brevard Memorial Park, 320 Spring Street, Cocoa, FL 32927-4833.