Franklin Gene Eugene Cooper

Franklin Eugene “Gene” Cooper Franklin Eugene “Gene” Cooper, 79, of Mt. Hope, West Virginia, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, September 14, 2015. Born January 26, 1936 in Jon Ben, West Virginia he was the son of the late Estes Cooper and Thelma Lilly Cooper. Gene served his country proudly in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was a retired coal miner who worked for the Slab Fork Coal Company. He loved to sing, enjoy the outdoors, hunting, fishing and spending time at his hunting camp. He was a member of the Gospel Chapel in Daniels, West Virginia. Those preceding him in death are his brothers, Roger Cooper and wife, Bonnie, Sam Dickens and Roy Dickens. Those left to cherish Gene’s memories include his loving wife, Emmie Plumley Cooper; children, Ronnie Cooper and wife Debbie of Beaver, Karen James and husband Jack of North Sand Branch Road, Randall Cooper and wife Denise of Florida and Keith Cooper and wife Melissa of Stanaford; brothers and sisters, Helen Engelbrecht and husband Howard of Missouri, Lowell Cooper and wife Jackie of Illinois, Dorothy Hoskins and husband Ray of Kentucky, Harold Cooper and wife Betty of Illinois, Chester Dickens of Ohio, Carson Cooper and wife Barbara of Illinois, Robert Cooper and wife Jean of Indiana, Michael Cooper of West Virginia, Joyce Ann Carrell and husband Phil of Ohio, Hattie Craddock of West Virginia and Pauline Johnson and husband Bill of Illinois; grandchildren, Katy Cooper, Amy (Cooper) Meador and husband Jeremy, Kenneth Cooper and wife Melanie, Jackie James and wife Lisa, Emma Jean (Cooper) White and husband Randy, Bobbi Sue (James) Curry and husband Wesley, Deryck Cooper and wife Holly; great grandchildren, Brooklyn Meador, Haley Meador, Joseph Meador, Taylor Kearns, Alexis Kearns, Randi White, Kelsie James, Cierra James, Dakota Curry, Payden Cooper, Caleb Cooper & soon to be born Kinley Ann Cooper, Reed Cooper, Brett Cooper, Cynthia Cooper and Troy Cooper; and a host of nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 2:00PM, Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Blue Ridge Funeral Home with Pastor Dean Adams and Pastor Luke Richmond officiating. Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. Friends may gather with the family from 6-8PM, Friday, September 18, 2015 at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blueridgefuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C Byrd Drive, Beckley, WV 25801.