Donald Bolon Cooper

Donald Bolon Cooper died on December 11 at the age of 87. Born at Grant Hospital in Columbus, OH on August 20, 1931. Proud graduate of North High School, class of 1949. Served four years in the US Navy during the Korean War, including one year aboard the USS Currier (DE 700), one year at Hospital Corps School, service at Balboa US Naval Hospital, and a two-year deployment to the U.S. Marine Corps at Fleet Marine Headquarters in Pearl Harbor. Discharged on November 19, 1954, as Hospital Corpsman, Second Class.

Donald graduated from The Ohio State University in 1957 with a BA in History. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship for graduate study of Latin American History at the University of Texas, Austin. He earned his M.A. in 1958 and his Ph.D. in 1963. Donald completed a one-year fellowship with the Doherty Foundation, researching and archiving early history of epidemics in Mexico. As a professor, he taught Latin American history for 42 years at Oklahoma State (1961-63), Tulane (1963-1969), and The Ohio State University (1969-2002). The Cooper family lived in Brazil for two years while Donald completed his fellowship research with the National Library of Medicine and Commonwealth Foundation on the history of epidemics. His article, "Epidemic Disease in Mexico City, 1761-1813" was published along with numerous other reviews. He was a member of the Torch Club, First Community Church and OSURA (Executive Board, Historian). Don's hobbies included classical music, Reds baseball, spending time with grandchildren, and making homemade wine from fruit gathered at his cottage in northern Wisconsin.

Don is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 47 years, Ellen Hutchins Cooper (1935-2004), brother, Charles William Cooper (1924-1988), and his parents Charles Dolman Cooper (1899-1969), and Gladys Bolon Cooper (1899-1989). He is survived by his sister, Dorothy Cooper Kutchera, and sister-in-law, Gloria Bond Cooper Vandixon. He is also survived by his three beloved children: John Frederick Cooper M.D., Thomas Glenn Cooper, and Linda Marie Cooper; as well as nine grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. John (and first wife, Trish) are the parents of Rebecca (husband Greg, daughters Kaitlin and Hannah), Rachel (husband Tim), Daniel (wife Holly, children Adeline, Josie and Townes), and Benjamin Cooper. John is step-father to wife Carol's three sons: Daniel, Tom, and Jack. Donald's son Tom is married to Tammy; they are the parents of grandchildren Lauren and Amy Cooper. Donald's daughter Linda is the mother of Austin, Spencer and Kyle Channell.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the OSURA Endowment Fund. (Place account number (#605420 at lower left corner of check), sent to OSURA, 1590 North High Street, Suite 300, Columbus, OH 43201-2190.