Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-18
|DR. v. K. COOPER,
Y LEADER, DIES.
Fatally Stricken on Eve of
Planned Vacation in
Florida.

While chatting with a friend who
had called to bid him good-by on the
eve of planned vacation in Florida,
DR.. william Knowles Cooper, widely
known Y. M. G. A., church and civic
leader, was stricken fatally yesterday
with cerebral hemorrhage at his home,
1907 Highland place.
Dr.. Cooper, who apparently was re-
covering from an illness that put him
in the hospital last october, was dis
cussing his proposed Southern trip
with Leonard w. De Cast, the man
who succeeded him in 1929 as general
secretary of the Washington Y. M. c. A.,
when he complained of pain in his
chest
Attributing the distress to indiges-
ton, DR.. Cooper at first made light Of
his condition, but when no relief was
Forthcoming his physician was called
to the home. He died within an hour
of his first symptoms, the end coming
at $50 O'Clock in the presence of his
wife, Mrs Jessie M. S. Cooper; his
daughter, Martha, and Mr. De Cast.
His only other child, William Knowles
Cooper, IT., was summoned from Coates
vile, Pa, arriving by automobile late
last night.
Departure Planned for Today.
DR.. and Mrs. Cooper had purchased
their tickets for the trip to Florida and
their departure had been planned for
today. He had shown remarkable i'm
provement after long siege that had
confined him for weeks in the Episco-
pal Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and
at his home He had hoped to recover
his health fully in the South.
Funeral services will be held tomor-
row afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home
Rev. DR.. Allen A. Stockdale, pastor of
the First Congregational Church, and
Rev. DR.. George A. Farnham, pastor of
the Cleveland Park Congregational
Church, will offlciate.
Pallbearers will be S. Percy Thomp-
son, John Poole, Houston Thompson,
Harry o. Hine, Hugh A. Thrift and w.
w. Everett.
Representatives Of numerous organi-
cations of which DR.. Cooper was a
member will attend the funeral. In
terment will be in Rock Creek Cemetery.
Rev Dr. w. S. Beard, secretary OF
the Layman's Advisory Committee of
the National Council of the Congrega-
tional Church, of New York, telegraphed
today that he would attend the services.
DR.. Cooper was chairman of the COM
mittee and otherwise active in the ma
tional affairs of the Congregational
Church.
Lectured Extensively.
DR.. Cooper was prominent in local
| national and international circles oil
| the Young Mems Christian Assoc1a-
| ton and was active in religious, civic
philanthropic and business fields. ne
| had travelled widely and had written and
lectured extensively regarding his OBJ
servations, particularly about economic
and social conditions abroad.
| He was chairman of the Committee
! of Citizens appointed by the District
| Commissioners to try any policeman
| found to have been involved in the So
| called Staples-Schenk "frama-up" CASE
| last Fall The committee never wa!
called upon to function, due to collapse
| of the charges against the police.
Born in Philadelphia, Pa, November
| /, 1857 DR. Cooper was educated in the
public schools there.
He entered business at an early age
but in 1890 forsook business career
| to enter the service of the Young
Mems Christian Association, going tC
| Norristown, Pa, as general secretary
| where he served two years. In 1892 ne
went from NorristoWn to Brooklyn, N
L.
| tary of the Eastern District Branch, Y
M c. A., until 1898, leaving Brooklyn
, to assume the general secretaryship oil
| the Springfield, Mass, Y. M. G. A. He
remained in Springfield 10 years, COM
| ing to Washington in 1908.
| For II years he served the Young
! Mems Christian Association here as
general secretary, retiring October /
1929.
/ He was a member and past president
of the Washington Rotary Club.
Served on Many Boards.
| He had served on the boards of many
welfare institutions in Washington and
on number of national institutions, in.
Guiding the Boy Scouts of America and
the national boards of the Congrega-
tional Church. He was trustee of the
International Y. M. C. A. College, at
Springfield, Mass, and also Of Elon
| College. South Carolina. At the Inter
national Conference Of the Congrega-
tional Churches, held in Bournemouth
| England, in the Summer OF 1880, he
was elected vice chairman of the In
| ternational Conference of Congrega-
| ticnal Churches.
| Besides his service as general secre-
| tary of the Washington Y. M. c. A. he
had been active in almost every phase
of the association movement. He was
| a member of the National Council OF
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tions, and for six years was interstate
secretary of the Y. M. G. AS OF Mary
| land, Delaware and the District OF
| Columbia.
In 1912 he was given the degree OF
master of humanicS from Springfield
(N6occl Collage and In 1929 he was
made doctor of laws by the Southeast
ern University in recognition of nearly
| 40 years of service to young men and
boys in promoting character-building
efforts.