The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Orange Rodney Lynn Cooper, 53, of Orange, died Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010, at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth  in Beaumont. Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Thursday, March 4, at Claybar Funeral Home Chapel in Orange. Officiating will be the Rev. Johnny Harrison of First Christian Church of Sour Lake. A graveside service will begin at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Duncan Cemetery in Shelbyville. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home.

Born in Orange on July 16, 1956, Rodney was the son of Earnest Edgar Cooper and Ruth Jeanette Duncan. Rodney worked as a driller on a drilling rig and loved hunting, fishing, canoeing, camping, and rebuilding computers. Rodney deeply loved his family, grandchildren and family pets.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, David Eugene Cooper.

Rodney is survived by his wife of 24 years, Carol Cooper; daughter and son-in-law, Alisha and Jerry Utley of Silsbee; and son, Davey Cooper of Bonham. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Zackary Wayne Utley and Kaiden Patrick Utley; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Earnestine and Lonnie Peveto, Peggy and Tommy Snider, Teresa Whittaker, and Shelia Barber, all of Orange, Barbara and Eddie Head of Orangefield.

Serving as pallbearers will be Davey Cooper, Jerry Utley, Jared Head, Corey Head, Chris Kyle and Eugene Trumble.