Leroy Cooper

The Life Story Before God’s sunset on Friday, August 28th, 2020, Leroy Cooper experienced the loving arms of Christ as his whispered in his ear and took him home for eternal rest. Leroy was the eldest son of fifteen children born on February 8th, 1938 in Benson, Louisiana to the late Roy and Ola B. Cooper. He accept Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age and fellowshipped as a member of Maryspring Baptist Church. Leroy was educated in the Desota Parish school district and graduate in 1956 from Pelican All Saints High School in Pelican, LA. After graduation he moved to Somerset, NJ to reside with his late sister, Mercedes Belton. He became a member of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens. Having a love for gospel music he became a member of the Happyland Gospel Group lead by the late Noah Thompson, Sr. Leroy was a strong and talented baritone, and enjoyed singing and playing gospel music on his organ in the family home. In the late summer of 1960, Leroy met the love of his life Betty J. Leftwich. He asked for her hand and they were united in holy matrimony on February 11th, 1961. Early in the marriage Leroy was drafted to serve his country in the United States Army for two years and was honorably discharged as a Corporal. After returning home he worked a number of years as a supervisor at Reynolds Metals in Carteret, NJ. Then he became employed at Eastern Surgical Dressing Plant Division of Johnson & Johnson in North Brunswick, NJ and remained there until his retirement in 2001. Leroy will be remembered as a tall, strong man of integrity that loved his family deeply, and was lovingly referred to as “Boss Man” and “Harry”. He loved being home and his residence was often called “the house of plenty”. He was happy to entertain and always quick to feed others. A man of many hobbies he most loved football, chatting with people across the country on his CB radio, and more recently communicating with family and friends on Facebook. He is preceded in death by his four sisters, Mamie, Mercedes, Vera, and Brunetta. He leaves to cherish his memory, his devoted wife of 59 years, Betty J. Cooper: two daughters, April Dabney (Marzene), New Kent, VA, Bridgette Cooper-Boyd (Tommy), Somerset, NJ,; five brothers, Charles Cooper (Gwinette), Charlotte, NC, Fred Cooper (Roberta) , Baton Rouge, LA, Jerry Cooper, Shreveport, LA, Melvin Cooper, Baton Rouge, LA, Joe L. Cooper, Mansfield, LA; six sisters, Faye Levenston (Willie) , Portsmouth, VA, Ola Richards, Shirley Thomas (W.C.), Hattie George all of Dallas, TX, and Brenda Johnson, San Antonio, TX; three sisters-in-laws, Ester Miller, Penns Grove, NJ, Elenora Cooper, Houston, TX, and Naomi Epps, Greensboro, NC; ten grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, God-daughters, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Leroy Cooper

February 8, 1938 - August 28, 2020