Dale Warren Cooper

Dale was born in Jacksonville, FL and entered foster care system as an infant when his parents took him to Sunland Training Center in Gainesville, FL. That facilitated him being placed in a group home in Jacksonville in his early 20’s. Through several different group home moves and many ARC social functions Dale met Jon Woodard who would become his lifelong friend and his mom, Jackie Woodward. It didn’t take long before Dale happily became a permanent member of the Woodard family in the early 90’s.

Dale loved people and never met a stranger. Dale has made many friends through the years. Many of those friends were from the years he very proudly worked at NAS Jacksonville. Dale also was blessed with many wonderful friends from Pine Level Baptist Church in Baxter, FL, where Dale started attending church, thereafter, he and his mom moved in with his sister and her family around 2010. Pastor Frederick Raulerson and the entire congregation of Pine Level had a very, very, significant impact on the later years of Dale’s life.

Dale loved fishing and would fish anytime and anywhere he could. He was also an avid bowler and had quite the collection of Special Olympics tournament trophies! The rest of his “wall” space was taken up with Elvis pictures, memorabilia, and his guitars! His other “free” time was usually devoted to traveling. Him, his mom, sister, brother and any other family he could talk into going spent many weekends in Daytona and Orlando and the longer trips were saved for the oceanfront stays at St. Augustine Beach so he could fish all day, every day, or a cabin in the Blue Ridge mountains which he loved even though not much fishing was available there.

Dale was preceded in death by his “momma,” Jackie Woodard; dad Paul Woodard; and brother-in-law, Fletcher Gainey.

He is survived by his sister, Meloney (Dennis) Crews; brother, Jon Woodard; nephew, Chris McGee; great-nieces, Abby McGee, Heaven McGee, and Victoria McGee; great-nephew, Bryson McGee. There are also so many aunts, uncles and cousins that had a tremendous impact on Dale’s life, that aren’t individually named but doesn’t mean they were any less important. These people always went out of their way to make Dale feel like he was a King!

Dale’s family also wants to express our gratitude to the countless number of special people that are employed by the ARC that Dale was blessed to have had in his life. There were so many over the years it is impossible to mention each one, but we pray that the love and care they gave to Dale through his life will be returned to them many times over.