Bruce Cooper

COOPER, Bruce Stanley…

1939 – 2024

Bruce Cooper passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, in his 85th year. Beloved husband of Mary Lois (nee Jeffery) Cooper. Dear brother of Bernice Everett, Donald Cooper, Ileen Carroll (George), Lois Carrier, and dear brother-in-law of Beatrice Cooper. Predeceased by his brothers Ralph and Jack Cooper, brothers-in-law Marshall Everett and Joseph Carrier and his sisters-in-law Margaret North and Ilene Cooper. Bruce and Mary Lois were blessed with a large and loving family, and many friends. They were blessed to live for over 50 years on Gerrard St., in London, with such a strong community of friends.

Bruce grew up in Brantford with his 6 siblings and graduated from Hamilton Teachers College in 1959 at age 20, after which he taught at Major Ballachey Elementary School in Brantford. In 1964, he graduated from Western University with a BA in Geography, and went on to teach at Wheable, Laurier, Sir Adam Beck and Saunders Secondary School in London. He did teacher exchanges to Birmingham, England 1971, and to Canberra, Australia 1992; and accompanied Mary Lois on her exchanges to Cherbourg, France 1979, and to Neuchatel, Switzerland 1988. He retired in 1994.

Bruce ran the Ottawa Marathon for his 40th birthday, did taekwondo, cross country and downhill skiing, scuba diving, cycling, trekking in Nepal, Kashmir and Europe. He climbed Kilimanjaro and walked the Inca Trail. He did white water canoe trips on the Missinaibi and Spanish Rivers in Ontario, and on the Thelon in NWT and Nunavut. In 2009 he and Mary Lois traversed the NW Passage on the Akademic Joffe. They owned a VW camper or Safari Condo camper for 50 years as well, and that facilitated trips to every Canadian province and every American state.

Bruce was a 50 year member of the London Curling Club, and President in 2009. Even in his 80s, he was still sliding out from the hack and curling 4 games a week. He was also one of the founders of the Intrepid Hikers, a group of 9 friends who hiked every Tuesday for 25 years, regardless of the weather. In 2003, he graduated as a Cabinet Maker from Fanshawe College, following in the steps of his father who was a carpenter. He donated his woodworking projects to a multitude of charities, and to family and friends. And he also loved crocheting and counted cross stitch.

Bruce became a birder in 1984, and loved the birds he saw and the friendships he made there. He participated in research for the Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario 2001-2005, and did two remote canoe and birding trips to the boreal forest in Ontario in conjunction with that.

The family would like to thank Dr. Alishya Burrell and Dr. Susan MacLean. Special thanks to the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners and McCormick Day Program for all of their support through Bruce’s dementia journey.  Donations in memory of Bruce may be made to Indwell or a charity of your choosing.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Arrangements entrusted with A. Millard George Funeral Home, 519-433-5184. Online condolences, memories and photographs shared at www.amgfh.com.

“How blessings brighten as they take their flight!”