Betty J. Cooper

Betty Jane Cooper

Age 98, a longtime resident of Northville, passed away peacefully on September 22, 2020.  She was born on March 20, 1922 in Milwaukee, WI; daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert H. Brown.  Betty was united in marriage to Dr. Richard F. Cooper on October 19, 1946, spending 73 years together until his death in 2019.

Betty graduated from Lawrence College, Appleton, WI.  Upon graduation, she accepted a position in Detroit with Parke-Davis Corporation as a laboratory researcher.  She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, First Presbyterian Church of Northville, Northville Women’s Club, bridge and book clubs for many years.  A very talented musician, Betty played clarinet in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Betty loved traveling; her passport was marked with 32 countries she and her husband visited. Her favorite vacation was a yearly trip to the Great Smokey Mountains with her husband. She was a ferocious reader who had many lively discussions with her book club. Certified by the Library of Congress and prior to computerization, Betty dedicated over 30 years transcribing books by hand to braille for the Tri-County Braille Organization. She enjoyed entertaining and hosted extravagant dinner parties. Betty was a loving wife and truly thoughtful friend.

Betty is survived by her cousin Tom (Rose) Miller and her dear friends, Al and Brenda Smith, Ed and Barbara Funke, Dennis and Jill Engerer, and Frances Hill. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

A private service will be held at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield, Wisconsin where she will be laid to rest next to her husband.