Dr. Clara Cooper peacefully passed away on Tuesday, January 29, at the age of 82. She was born in Secunderavad, India on November 3, 1936. With the blessing of her parents, Piroja and Bomanshah Cooper, this independent young woman immigrated to Florida in the 1960s to attend Florida State University, where she earned a B.A., an M. A., and, in 1969, a Ph.D in Humanities. In the fall of 1972, she joined the faculty of the Humanities Department at the University of South Florida, where she taught for many years, specializing in the Humanities of India, finally retiring in the spring of 2003. Dr. Cooper was a much beloved teacher and a recognized scholar, who published the definitive study of the Hindu mystic Swami Vivekananda, and brought an exciting dimension to the Department of Humanities. She remained a devout follower of the Parsi religion all her life. She was preceded in death by her two sisters, Freny Cooper and Rhoda Avari, also residents of Tampa, Fl., and is survived by hundreds of admiring ex-students as well as many dear friends and colleagues. A memorial service for Dr. Cooper will be held at Blount and Curry Funeral Home, 12690 N. 56th Street on Saturday, February 9th at 2:00 p.m., and all her ex-students, friends, and colleagues are invited to join together to celebrate Dr. Cooper’s rich and productive life. Dr. Cooper will long be remembered for her grace, her kindness, and her delightful sense of humor.
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