Obituary of Dorothea N. Cooper

Mrs. Dorothea N. Cooper passed away, from complications of a stroke, at 2:05 am Monday, May 2nd, 2005 at St. Mary's Hospital, with her children at her side. She was born in Amsterdam, New York on February 2nd, 1921 to Mr. Peter C. Getwright, Sr. and Vivian Violet Miller. She was the widow of the late Mr. Roy H. Cooper, Jr. and lived at 4293 State Highway 30, Lot 81, Amsterdam, New York. Her parents move to New York City when she was a little girl, where her father owned and operated a garage and her mother worked for ATT. After a couple of years she moved back to live with her Aunt at 153 Division Street. Her folks moved back to Amsterdam after a few more years. Dorothea graduated from Amsterdam High School in 1938 and attended Reynolds Business School on Union Street. She worked at various institutions in Amsterdam as a cashier. On February 5th, 1941 she married Roy and they spent 64 wonderful years together before his passing on February 21st, 2005. She raised two children: Joel Roy Cooper of Moxee, WA and Candice Dae Cook of Ganesvoort, NY. In addition to her two children, she is survived by four grandchildren, Mr. Edson Cook, Jr. of Ganesvoort, NY; Mrs. Samantha Loucks of Amsterdam, NY; Mrs. Kimberly Rashell of Kent, WA; and Mr. Jason Cooper of Moxee, WA. She also is survived by a great-grandson, Tyler Loucks, who has a brother on the way, plus a number of nephews, nieces and cousins. Dorothea was the Amsterdam City and Town of Amsterdam Historian for over twenty years. She was well liked both in the Amsterdam City Hall and in the County Archives in Fonda, New York, where she spent many hours conducting research on her passion of genealogy. She worked diligently to place various locations in Amsterdam and the surrounding area onto the National and New York State Registries, including the City Hall of Amsterdam. Amsterdam and the surrounding area has numerous Markers identifying places of historical value due to Dorothea's research. She was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution; Colonial Dames; Heritage and Genealogical Society of Montgomery County, Palatine Society of the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Perth Seniors; Cranesville Seniors; Charleston Historical Society; Montgomery County Historical Society; Walter Elwood Museum; Erie Canal Society; Broadalbin Historical Society; United Presbyterian Church and was the Chairperson for the Markers of Montgomery County. Services will be Thursday at 1 pm at Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue. The Rev. Alice A. Monschke officiating. Interment will take place in Evergreen Cemetery, Fonda. Calling hours will be Wednesday evening between 5 pm and 8 pm at the funeral home. Contributions may be made in Dorothea's name to the Heritage and Genealogical Society of Montgomery County, Fonda, New York or the Mountain Valley Hospice, 73 North Main Street, Gloversville, New York 12078.