The Semi-weekly leader., 1919-10-08
DEATH CLAIMS MRS.
BETTY w. COOPER
Beloved Wife Of Whitworth's
President Dies Sunday,
October 5th.

On Monday morning as friends en-
tered with bowed heads the sorrow
ing Cooper home and sat with
strangely beating hearts about the
bier that held the precious clay, on
Iy few hours before regnant with
love and life. they noted the heav-
enly calm that had come to the ear
nest, handsome face, with its halo
of snow-white hair-the repose Of
the erstwhile busy hands. In the
presence OF the majesty Of death like
this and its visible triumph over NOR
taiity. loving memory began to re-
call the life Mrs. Cooper lived 1.-The
duties SO faithfully performed-the
mission gloriously fulnlled-the no
BILE character wrought out Of the
joys and sorrows she had known
that with its influence will live on
while ceaseless ages roll. and some
thing Of peace crept into the troubled
hearts about her.
She slept the last, long sleep clasp
ing in her hand the snow-white bios
SONS that told of blameless life thru
out the years she loved and labored
for her hearts dearest earthly treas
ures-her husband and her children.
Mrs. Cooper's death was sudden.
She was taken i'll Friday night; but
with her accustomed spirit under
difficulties less fmportunate, forbade
assistance and no physician was call
ed. Saturday and much of Sunday
passed without grave apprehension.
DR.. Cooper, feeling assured of his
wife's recovery left her bedside and
filled the pulpit at the Methodist
Church, preaching sermon of great
power and acceptance with the peo-
pie.
But when the shades Of evening
fell athwart the Whitworth Campus
sorrow gathered with the lessening
day and threw its trail over every
cherished hope. Just before mid
night God touched her and she slept.
Physicians had come from near and
far and every aid was requisftioned; !;
but to no avail. Loved ones listen
ed in vain for accents they could no
longer hear and all the world was
changed for them since Mother had
gone home.
Mrs. Cooper was the beloved and
honored wife Of DR.. /. w. Cooper.
President Of Whitworth College. Be
side her husband Mrs. Cooper left
to mOurn her transition two sons,
Major /. W.. and Lieut. Ellis Cooper
and five daughters:- Misses Lois, Mil
dred and virgie and Mines. Bessie
Hopkins, of Hickory, and Lucille Yon,
OF Tallahassee, Florida. The strick-
en- husband. the eldest and the
youngest daughters were the only
members OF the family circle present
when the precious life went out.
Only three weeks ago Miss Mildred,
graduate of Whitworth of 1915
19, had left her dearly loved home
for the first time for a residence a.
way, matriculating at Trinity Col
lege. News had come of this dear
daughters illness, fact which dis
turbed her mother. And here we
are reminded that during the entire
period of the war, Mrs. Cooper was
greatly harassed by her two sons
absence and that of her eldest daugh-
ter overseas. She was as brave and
patient and patriotic as Mother so
loving and tender can be. But she
loved her children with deathless
devotion and whether they were near
or far she gave of her thought. Of
her strength and her time in their
interest and for their pleasure, their
comfort and their qualification. Her
home was her world. But her love,
as love does, brought her suffering
and distress and perhaps undermined
her physical strength.
One brother, Mr.. Ernest Wads-
worth, of Meridian, is. now the only
living representative Of Mrs. Coop
er's immediate family. Mr.. Wads-
worth was present at the last rites.
Mrs. Cooper was an alumna of the
College over which her husband pre-
sides. In recent years she studied
china-painting and excelled In this