Rev. Dr. Howard C. Cooper Sr.

Reverend Dr. Howard C. Cooper, Sr., was born July 28, 1935, to the late Cornelius Cooper, Sr., and Martha Taylor Cooper. He had eleven siblings, with nine preceding him in death.

He graduated from the Pocahontas High School, class of 1954, and he was the class president.

He saw this young lady one day and told his mother she was going to be his wife. In 1957, he married that young lady, Mable Townes Cooper. From that union, three children were born.

He always worked to provide for his family. After thirty years at Westvaco, he retired.

He accepted Jesus Christ at the Guildfield Baptist Church. He served as a choir member, member of the male chorus, intermediate Sunday School teacher, deacon, and co-chairman of the construction of the New Guildfield Baptist Church.

In 1977, he accepted his call into ministry and was licensed, and later was ordained at the Guildfield Baptist Church. Also, in 1977, he received a certificate in Religious Studies from VUU.
He was a past member of the Ministers Conference of Goochland, Virginia, and the Amelia, Powhatan, and Chesterfield Deacons and Ministers Conference. In addition, he served as moderator of Cumberland Union Baptist Association of Middle Virginia.
In 2005, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Faith International Bible College, where he also taught classes, and was on the Advisory Council.

He served as pastor of the Evergreen Baptist Church in Goochland, Virginia, for three years; Mount Olive Baptist Church in Cumberland, Virginia, for twenty-nine years; and the Pinehill Baptist Church in Powhatan, Virginia, for thirty-two years, and he retired from pastoring.

In his late years, he experienced a long journey with dementia. He became a different person, but we loved him still.

He leaves to cherish his memories: his loving wife of sixty-seven years, Mable Townes Cooper; daughters, Reverend Miranda V. and Jennifer D. Cooper; son, Howard C. Cooper (Pearl); brother, Cornelius Cooper, Jr. (Emily); sister, Marion Branch; granddaughters, Jessica Nelson and Jordan Cooper; great-grandchildren, Zion Amir Nelson and William Malachi Wonson; brothers-in-law, Reverend Herbert Townes (Emma) and John S. Townes; sisters-in-law, Mary Frances Johnson and Dorothy T. Smith; and a host of other relatives and friends.