William "Bill" T. Cooper

William T. (Bill) Cooper, 88, of Mansfield, Ohio, passed away Tuesday morning, December 17, 2019, at The Good Shepherd Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was born in Georgetown, Ohio, on February 13, 1931, to Francis (Best) Cooper and Augustus P. Cooper.

Bill was a student at The Ohio State University when he was drafted in May of 1952 and became a proud member of the US Marine Corps. In 1953, he volunteered for Operation Upshot-Knothole at the military’s Nevada Test Site and had a nuclear bomb dropped a few miles away from him. Though he and his fellow soldiers were “safely” in foxholes, Bill loved to talk about how the primary shock wave threw him against the back of the trench while the secondary blast wind knocked him forward. He was proud to share his adventures with his grandchildren.

In 1962, Bill moved to Mansfield to become president of National Masonic Provident Insurance Company, and he continued as a broker until his retirement from Cooper Herrick decades later. During those early Mansfield years, Bill was an active member and leader of the Masonic Lodge and the Shriners. After retirement, he became the Director of Dayspring and a greeter at Wappner Funeral Directors, but most of his energy was directed toward the Richland Academy of the Arts. His love of Mansfield led him to become an active participant in the community - the Rotary Club, United Way, the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Merchants, Aviation Club, the Sailing Club, and the Hermits’ Club are just a few of the organizations of which he was a member.

Bill’s interests were wide and varied - he was an avid Buckeye fan, an incessant reader of military history, an enthusiastic coach of the Woodland Broncos, a Lay Reader at Grace Episcopal Church, and a pilot with his Multi-Engine Certification. But he is probably known best for playing the bagpipes, a pastime that delighted both the community and his neighbors! He helped to found Mansfield’s Royal Scots Highlanders in 1974 and later became the first Presidents of The Ohio Scottish Games.

He is survived by his wife, Marianne Green; children, Mark (Mindy) Cooper, Craig (Dianne) Cooper, Kendra (John) Gagné, Leslie Cooper, and Kent (Barbara) Cooper; and grandchildren, Jason (Amy), Madeleine, Colin, Nathan, Maxwell, and Mackenzie. He is preceded in death by his parents.

The family would like to express their sincere thanks to The Good Shepherd, especially nurses Kristin and Liz, and Southern Care Hospice, nurses Chan and Katie for their loving care.

There will be a Celebration of Bill’s Life this summer. The Diamond Street Home of Wappner Funeral Directors is honored to have served the family.