“My oldest (True) is probably the only one that will really remember him,” Cooper II said Tuesday. “He’s five, and he’s been really taking it hard. Periodically, he’ll say, ‘I miss PaPa. I don’t want PaPa to be gone.’ That tears me up of course. I just tell him, ‘PaPa was so proud of you. Make him proud.’ "
Cooper II added: “I’m going to let them know PaPa was the most loving person that you would ever meet. He knew how to give more than he took, and he was a man’s man. He taught me how to be a man. He taught me how to take care of my family, how to love my family and how to really be a dad. Everyone says this, but I really thought he was just the best. He was a dad among dads. He just poured everything he had into me and still somehow had more to pour into everybody else.”
Cooper II organized a surprise service for his dad in May at Trinity Community, an assisted-living facility in Fairborn where he had been recovering from a stroke. Fifty three people from Cooper Sr.’s church, Greater Christ Temple, rode a rented bus to the service. Many of them got on the microphone in front of the group to tell Cooper Sr. what he meant to them.
“He really enjoyed that,” Cooper II said. “He was overwhelmed by it and talked for a while about how good he felt seeing all of his church members being there. He was on cloud nine. I’m so glad we were able to do that for him.”
Cooper was a 1969 graduate of Columbus East High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Central State, a master’s at the University of Dayton and a doctorate at the University of Cincinnati.
Cooper began a radio career while at Central State. He worked at WBLY in Springfield.
According to Cooper’s obituary, “He quickly built a name for himself in the world of radio and brought many influential singers and groups to Springfield and surrounding areas. During that time, he also managed Motown’s Different Shades of Brown.”
Cooper also taught at South High School and at the Springfield-Clark County Joint Vocational School. He was a substitute teacher in the Springfield City Schools system from 2005-20.
Cooper left the world of radio to become a pastor. He was a Suffragan Bishop and spent 36 years at Greater Christ Temple.
For many years, Cooper was also the public address announcer at South High School and then Springfield High School football and basketball games. He had the same job at Wittenberg University when his son played football and basketball there from 2008-12 and for several years after that.
Wittenberg paid tribute to Cooper on social media this week. A post read, “Cooper was known for adding a personal flair to his calls, sometimes tossing in a Tiger roar after touchdowns and often pronouncing ‘That’s the way we like it’ following big victories.”
Cooper II has been overwhelmed by the support for his family in the messages they have received or seen on Facebook this week. Everyone will remember his dad — and especially his booming voice.
“I guess I’ve heard it my whole life,” Cooper II said, “so maybe I kind of took it for granted how amazing his voice was, but different people come and tell me like your dad’s voice was one of a kind, and yeah, it really was.”
A viewing for Cooper will be held from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 10 at Littleton & Rue Funeral Home in Springfield.
An additional viewing will be held from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 11 at The Church of Christ of the Apostolic Faith in Columbus followed by a Celebration of Life Service beginning at 6 p.m., and a Homegoing Celebration Service will be held at 11 a.m. August 12 at the same church.
Cooper will be laid to rest at 11 a.m. Aug. 14 at Ferncliff Cemetery in Springfield.
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