Norman Lee Cooper

Norm was born Norman Lee Cooper on September 25, 1958 in the town of Arcata, CA, where he lived with his mom and dad, Louis and Ruth Cooper, older brother, Mike and younger siblings Steve, and Pam. He had many fond memories from his childhood of spending time at his Grandma Huddleston’s house.

Norm got his first full-time job at the age of 16 and continued to work full-time while attending high school. He graduated from Arcata High School in 1977. He stayed in Arcata after graduation and continued to work full-time. Eventually, he got a job at the Arcata Co-op. He later moved to Eureka and worked at the Eureka Co-op.

In 1990, he went into the Correctional Officer Academy. Upon graduation from the academy in May of 1990, he went to work at the Pelican Bay State Prison. In 1992, he moved to Brawley, CA and began working at Calipatria State Prison. After two years at Calipatria, he then moved to Centinela State Prison where he also spent two years.

Then in 1995 Norm moved to Hanford, CA. He went to work at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, and spent the remainder of his years working here until he retired. He worked a total of twenty-two years serving the state of California. His goal had been to reach twenty-five years, but his illness prevented him from reaching that goal.

It was here in Hanford that he met the love of his life, Debra. They were married on March 14, 1998 and resided here for their entire married life. They had just celebrated their twentieth year anniversary by renewing their vows together. Even though Norm was very, very sick, it was of utmost importance to him and Debbie both that they do this.

After Norm retired, being the “Energizer Bunny” that he was, he could not sit still for very long. His health had improved some, so he went to work at Walmart assembling bicycles for about eighteen months until illness prevented him from working any longer.

Norm had a deep seated faith in God that never waivered even during the darkest hours of his illness. He faithfully attended church and Bible Study when his health would allow him to and was a fervent student of the Word. Norm and Debbie also had a great love of the ocean and would take frequent trips to Cambria and Morro Bay and spend time there with their puppies.

Norm passed away after a very long battle with cancer. A battle that he won on January 9, 2019 because now he is in heaven with Jesus, completely whole and cancer free. He is survived by his wife Debra Cooper, his parents Ruth and Louis Cooper, his brother Mike, Mike’s daughter & son-in-law Samantha and Ted Key and their son, his brother Steve Cooper, his sister and brother-in-law Pam and Ray Maloney, their children Tiffany Wilde & her husband Jared, Tim Maloney and Melissa Maloney, and their children. He is also survived by his in-laws who loved him and cared for him as if he was their very own: David & Betty Justus, their daughter Krista Card and her children, Aaron Card & his wife Tiffany, and Lindy Hakker & her husband Brandon.

Tribute Poem "Weary"

God saw you getting weary. He did what He thought best. He put his arms around you and said, "Come and rest." He opened up His golden gates on that heartbreaking day, And with His arms around you, you gently slipped away. It broke our hearts to lose you. You did not go alone. A part of us went with you, the day God called you home.