Rhoda Cooper

Born Hannah Rhoda Eisner on May 20th, 1932, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Abraham Eisner and Cecilia Alper Eisner, she grew up in inner city Philly during the depression, the experience leaving her with a coupon-cutting and budget-conscious sensibility throughout her adult life. She graduated high school early and spent two years at Temple University until, at the age of 19 in 1952, she married the love of her life, Leon Cooper, and moved to Morehead City, North Carolina where he was stationed in the Marines. Eventually they returned and settled in the Philadelphia area, raising two children in suburban Levittown, PA. In 1970, they relocated to West Bloomfield, Michigan, but by 1974 they had returned east to settle in northern New Jersey. Rhoda spent the next 20 years of her life living comfortably as the wife of a corporate executive, until buying a retirement home in Longboat Key, Florida, where she remained with Leon until his death in 2020.

Rhoda especially enjoyed playing bridge, which she did twice a week for over 50 years. She was an avid reader and always kept up with current bestsellers. An accomplished knitter, she was well-known for the hooded newborn sweaters she created for family members and friends. She was an excellent hand-sewer, shortening and lengthening her skirts and pants each season according to what she considered to be current fashion. She swam every day for many years, first in indoor pools and then in her outdoor pool at Tangerine Bay. She also loved her pet cats, nearly all of whom lived to ripe old ages in cat years.

Predeceased by her brother Leonard Eisner, and her husband, Leon Cooper, she leaves behind two daughters, Marilinne Cooper of Bethlehem, New Hampshire and Culebra, Puerto Rico, and Barbara Cooper (Michael Price) of Berkeley, California, three grandchildren, Jamaica McCarthy (Alison Fernandes) of Chicago, Illinois, Genevieve Severyn of San Francisco, California, and Cooper Price of Berkeley, California, and three great-grandchildren.

A service will be held at a later date.