James Cooper Jr.

James Cooper, Jr., ETCS, USN (ret), 84, of The Villages, FL, passed away on Sat., Sept. 28, 2013 at Lexington Park Assisted Living in Lady Lake, FL. A Crystal River resident for over 30 years, he moved to Citrus County in 1979 from Hartsville, SC and moved to The Villages in 2009. Mr. Cooper was a U.S. Navy veteran of nearly 23 years and retired at the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer. He then held a long second career ending with his retirement from the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant as a nuclear technical support superintendent. He was a member of both Oak Forest United Methodist Church, Hayesville, NC and Crystal River United Methodist Church. Mr. Cooper loved hunting, fishing, and golfing and was the former Commander of the Crystal River Power Squadron. He is survived by his three children: daughter Mary Ellen Barger (Michael), The Villages, FL; Gail Jones, Barnesville, NC; Melodie Ann Edwards (Vernon), Clinton, SC; brother Thomas Cooper, South Haven, MS; sister Joyce Reed White, Morristown,TN; nine grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Joyce T. Cooper, on May 1, 2009; a daughter, April Marie Cooper, on March 30, 2008, and a son-in-law, Richard Jones. A Celebration of Life will be held on Mon., Sept. 30th at 2:30 P.M. at Fero Funeral Home, Beverly Hills with interment following at 3:30 P.M. at Fero Memorial Gardens with military honors rendered by the U.S. Navy. Friends will be received at Fero Funeral Home from 1:30 P.M. until time of service. www.ferofuneralhome.com