Ray and BJ moved into the house across the street from my family's home in Boulder when I was about four.  I remember my folks enjoying many evenings with the Coopers.  Although I wasn't very old, I remember when they brought Molly home.  It was clear that Molly completed their family.  Over the years I baby sat Molly on many occasions.  

Ray relished his ability to explore the world and would often include me and my siblings in his adventures.  Ray and BJ even agreed to be our guardians should something happen to my parents  a very gracious gesture considering there were four of us 'Smith kids' (now that would have been an adventure!).   

Our families shared many special moments together.  Molly was in my wedding and Ray and BJ served as local grandparents when my son was born.  I also worked for Ray at the optical shop for several years.

Ray will always be very special to me.  His love of life was engaging and his spirit will be forever in my heart.  I pray that all who held him close will continue to feel his presence  always.

Ray was the sweetest, most polite man I have ever met. He always greeted my sisters and I with a smile and a general interest in what was going on in our lives. 

When we were younger, we would go visit Ray and my grandma in Roswell. He would always try to scare us and my sister and I would try to scare him back. I don't know if we ever succeeded but it was always a fun game we played. 
I will always admire the way he treated my grandma. He was always a gentleman opening doors, paying for everything and treating her as well as everyone else with respect. 
I am so sad to see you go. However, I don't know anyone else who has lived such a fulfilled life. Rest in peace Ray, we all love and miss you!

Ray and my aunt,  Betty Jane, were there for me in a very difficult adolescence.  They took me to stay with them for the summer when they lived in Louisiana.  Ray fit my first pair of contact lenses and that was such a boost to my self esteem.  No glasses!  Both Ray and Betty Jane were so kind an thoughtful.  I'll never forget them!

I remember Ray cooking up a breakfast of bacon and eggs along Boulder Creek.

I remember Ray flying my father and me to Cheyenne in his 172 just to have breakfast and take in the early morning view of the Front Range.

I remember Ray and BJ encouraging  me, a Chicago kid, to stay an extra week in Denver after my family had returned home  and then capping the whole experience with allowing me to ride the Zephyr home.

I remember playing golf with Ray and my father in Boulder, and the Garden of the Gods.

I remember Dr Gibbson checking my eyes and then Ray making my glasses.

I remember BJ and Ray flying their plane to Chicago to see the Bears and Denver Colts at Soldier Field.

I remember Ray as good, kind and generous with a great sense of humor and ready smile.  

Molly and Dee you have my sincere sympathy.

His nephew, Bruce Kirkpatrick

Because Ray and my Daddy, Ken Champion (known as Bubba to Ray) were very close friends, most of my knowledge of Ray comes from Daddy's recollections.  As he sat in the room with us, his family, he would smile, then chuckle and began telling a Ray story.  They began their Navy careers together at Boot Camp.  I recall several incidents of scrubbing the latrine floor with toothbrushes  not their own, I hope.

Later they were stationed together in several places including Florida and Corpus Christi.  Ray flew the planes and Daddy was the radioman as they kept the coast safe during WW II.  As retirees, they travelled together with their wives in RV's.

Their continued friendship served as a model of what we all want to attain.  Daddy and Ray are now in Heaven exchanging remembrances of their past, absolutely, friends forever.

With love,
Kathryn Champion Gish

Mr. Cooper was one of the nicest gentlemen I've known.  He always had a smile on his face and a kind word.  If the world was full of people like Mr. Cooper the world would be a lot nicer place. I will miss him and send my prayers out to Dee and his family.

How do I describe 50 years of knowing a great man, my Dad?  Hopefully well. To do so involves a story which exemplifies how he lived his life.  
     My Mom, Dad, and I were off to Chicago in one of Dad's many planes.  We had been flying for quite awhile and while I slept, our airplane was engulfed in clouds. We could not get any bearings due to heavy cloud cover, which is dangerous for someone not instrument rated.  He was not certified to fly a plane if he could not see the ground.  As I awoke, I saw the conditions and became alarmed. Dad simply told me to be quiet. Dad thought and calmly asked Mom our coordinates and what was the last tower we flew over. He radioed them and relayed the information. He stated that he was only visually rated.  The tower asked a few questions and told Dad they would steer him in.  That was another trait. He could bravely follow orders.  He turned the plane around! I couldn't believe it. Dad and Mom listened to different altitudes and bearings, while never seeing the ground. Suddenly, the cloud cover broke and we saw the ground and the runway! I was amazed. We were on final approach. We landed safely in Des Moines, Iowa. How happy we were and proud of Dad.  He had done well.  Dad was always like that -a quiet leader. He led by example.
     He loved to work with his hands, fixing things in his beloved work room by patiently examining whatever it was. Amazing to me, he rarely read a manual. I came to appreciate the time he took to do such things and have tried to emulate these traits, except for the manual part.
     He also was a risk taker but he would analyze every decision many different ways before preceding.  He would occasionally ask our thoughts on a matter. His ability to scrutinize carefully before any action taught me a skill I thought I'd never have.
     Dad used humor to lighten a mood or a conversation.  He could tell the best jokes - often about his favorite pastime- golf.  May I, in the future, use humor in s similar manner.  But first, I have to get the story and punchline right! Alas, maybe I'll better leave it to the experts.
      But to sum up Dad, he loved well. From the moment I saw him at 13 months old and crawled up to him, much to Mom's chargrin, I have truly loved him and will miss him greatly.

I met Ray back in 1999 at the NMMI golf course. We played a lot of golf 
over the years. I was with Ray when he made the hole in one on the 11th
hole at NMMI. Ray was a good friend and will be missed.
                                                       Robert Tucker
                                                       Roswell NM.

I will miss talking sports with Ray. Also, having our martinis together. He was a true Texas gentleman!

Some people you only need to know for a brief time to have them make a big impact on your life, that was Ray for me. Always ready with a joke and a smile.  Ray was one of the last real gentleman I knew. I won't have to go any further than my backyard to remember how much I will miss him.

Since Ray and Dorthy moved back to Denver I had the pleasure of really getting to know him.  He was kind and gentle and always great with my little one.  I enjoyed every single story he ever told.  Often asking to hear them over and over.  I will always remember the day he took me golfing in Roswell.  I think he played down so he could only beat me by 30 strokes instead of 100.  He loved flying airplanes, and I loved hearing about all his piloting adventures.  He was a WWII vet, and I loved hearing all about that as well.  A man who could restore an airplane, fix anything, and then turn around and sew bedding and pillows for my step daughters barbies.  A very talented man, from a generation this country will never see the likes of again.   Never once did I hear him complain, not even during his last days.  I can honestly say I'm a better person for knowing him.  The world is a better place for him having lived in it.  I will think about you every day Ray, and hope that you are having an Olive water and looking down on all of us who love you.

Ray was one of Gary's very best friends in Roswell for the last 20 years, and one of the most honest people that we've ever known... and a GREAT golf buddy! 
He was multi-talented, could fix anything. If he couldn't fix it, he would find someone to tell him how. He had a  great humor and we always enjoyed visiting with him ( especially during the car rides he and Gary took). A really gentle man and a gentleman. He won't be forgotten and will truly be missed!
HE WILL BE MISSED!  
Gary & Pat Wiberg

Ray was a truly remarkable man who knew and had experienced so much. He had a distinctive way of speaking and laughing that I will never, ever forget. I still remember the way he said my name, Kelly Jean, when I was little, and even though I hated being called that he made it sound like something straight out of the south, just right. Although he was a gentleman unlike any I have ever known, Ray loved an off-color joke, and he and I shared many over the years. For those who listened to these jokes, my favorite was the one that ended with, He said you're gonna die! I won't post the rest of the joke, but you can imagine him throwing his head back and laughing.

Ray, I'm going to miss you more than I can say. I'll be having an olive water or some Canadian Mist with some Chili Cheese Fritos in your honor, and I better not get a headache. You promised. I love you, Ray!

Pop was a great man. Even when he was laying in a bed sick and didn't know what you were saying, he would still laugh and smile. We always had family dinners with him. He always had so many stories to tell, and adding on to that he lived a great life to almost 90 years old! One of the things that I think about the most is I didn't get to know him very well. When he passed, he had just moved to Colorado. Pop went to many places. At least I'm happy to know he had a full life. And even though I will always be sad I will remember he'll always be in my heart and I'll always be in his.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Chester Ray Cooper

26 septembre 1925 – 21 août 2015

Olinger Funeral, Cremation & Cemetery - Highland

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