Lucinda "Lucy" Elizabeth Cooper

Lucinda E. Cooper passed on Friday, April 7, 2017, at her home in Bakersfield, CA. She was 88 years old. Lucinda was known to her family and friends as Lucy. Lucy was born March 19, 1929, in Los Angeles, CA to the late Manuel Gomez, and the late Elvira (Ella) Lopez Gomez. She was the eighth of ten children.Lucy grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Belmont High School. She worked at Fern Shoe Company and entered L.I.F.E. Bible College in Los Angeles (now LIFE Pacific College) where she met and married fellow alumnus and the now late Jackson H. Cooper of Muncie, IN. Lucinda and Jack were married on April 7, 1949, at the Burbank Foursquare Gospel Church. Lucy worked alongside her husband pastoring Foursquare Gospel Churches in Glendale, CA; Wapello, IA; Alma, MI; Freemont, CA; Trona, CA; Modesto, CA; and Bakersfield, CA. Lucy held International credentials as a Licensed and Ordained Minister until her passing. While living in Trona, she worked for the local cable company and while living in Bakersfield, established her own floral business, Cooper's Floral Creations. She also established a successful career as Director of Social Services in Bakersfield and Taft area nursing homes and a hospital. Lucy was well regarded for her skilled professionalism and keen ability to advocate and connect with patients and their families.As a Christian woman, Lucy loved to read her Bible, and was known as a woman devoted to prayer. She also loved to sing and was known to have a song for everything. Always full of joy and friendliness, Lucy's sense of humor was legendary along with her penchant for pranks. Lucy was an avid U.C.L.A. Bruins fan throughout her entire life. She possessed a cheerful gift of hospitality, hosting in her home many people from around the world. After retirement, she maintained her professional, social and family circles, and attended New Life Church in Bakersfield, California. She also remained active with Foursquare Forerunners, a group of first generation Foursquare leaders.Eight of Lucinda's siblings preceded her in death, namely, Alma Gomez, Manuel Gomez, Priscilla Ortega, Naomi Reel, Benjamin Gomez, Robert Gomez, and Louis Arthur Gomez. Lucy is survived by her siblings, Fermin Gomez of Burbank, CA, and Margaret Rosenberger of Ventura, CA. She is also survived by her three children, Sidney Cooper (Barbara), Dianne Cooper-Pilcher (Robert), and Laurie Cooper Goldsmith (James). She is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Valerie Cooper, Erik Cooper, Jason Cooper, Cory Cooper, Jessica Holland Schulze, Lisa Holland Ruppen, Melinda Holland Winchell, Justin Holland, Tiffany Goldsmith, Nathan Goldsmith, Brittany Goldsmith Duncan, and Tanner Goldsmith. In addition, she is survived by 17 great-grandchildren, 16 nieces and nephews, and many more great-nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.