Jerry Ray Cooper went home to join his Heavenly Father on February 10, 2022. He passed peacefully in his sleep at home after a brief hospital stay. Jerry was born on November 4, 1941 at his childhood home in Murfreesboro, TN. He was the third and youngest child of Amanda Frances and Jesse MacPherson Cooper. His older siblings are Betty Jean and Charles Thurman (who preceded him in death). He was also one of the youngest nephews of Aunt Leila Cooper.
Jerry was raised in the midst of the Cooper family surrounded by love, laughter, fellowship, and friendship. He graduated from Kittrell High School in 1959. Jerry married Judy Ann Elrod in 1963, and after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with an Accounting Degree in 1964, they moved to Gates Tennessee where Jerry served as a Minister at the Gates, TN Church of Christ.
In 1967, Jerry and Judy moved to California where Jerry was an accountant with Pepperdine University. While in California, Jerry and Judy adopted their first child, Kevin Jeffrey Cooper in 1968. Soon after, Jerry brought his new family back home to Tennessee to raise them surrounded by the love and support of his family.
Jerry and Judy adopted their daughter, Jennifer LeeAnn (Cooper) Flipse, shortly thereafter in 1972. Jerry built a home for his family in Lascassas, TN and worked for Park Sherman Industries in Murfreesboro. Jerry had an entrepreneurial streak and ultimately left Park Sherman to own his own businesses in Manchester, TN in the late 70’s. He and Judy ended their marriage while in Manchester, but remained joined in their efforts to raise Jennifer and Kevin.
Jerry joined the State of Tennessee as an auditor in the early 80’s and returned to Murfreesboro, living next door to his childhood home. In 1993 Jerry met Jean Reichert, and in 1994 they were married which added to the family sons Todd and Michael Sharpe and daughter Lisa (Sharpe) Stevens. He retired from the State of Tennessee in the early 2000’s and he and Jean spent the next years traveling and enjoying their time with family and friends. He was happily married to Jean for 26 years until the Lord took her home in March of 2020.
He is remembered for many things, first of which was his love for God and family. He was also well known for his compassion towards other people, as well as animals. Jerry loved music. He could play many instruments by ear, but primarily the guitar and piano. He played with his own style, from Country to Blues to Gospel. He loved sweets, and was always the first to request dessert after a meal. Later in life he discovered his love to travel, which he did much of with his wife Jean, keeping a magnet from each destination.
Jerry is survived by his sister, Betty Jean Sneed, sister-in-law Betty Jean Cooper, brother-in-law John (Naomi) Reichert, and his children–Kevin (Therese) Cooper, Lisa (Charles) Stevens, Jennifer (Andrew) Flipse, Todd (Carrie) Sharpe, and Michael (Christine) Sharpe. He leaves behind grandchildren Calli (Andrew) McGuire, Kyle (Tina) Cooper, Elizabeth Schanie, Cooper Schanie, Jeremy Martin, Shelby Stevens, Dylan (Alexis) Stevens, Jessica Sharpe, Nathan Sharpe, Kristine Sharpe, Jordan Sharpe and great-grandchildren Niko Sharpe, Gunner Stevens, Beckett Stevens, Hunter Crowley, Maverick Eckert, and Danielle Grace McGuire as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins whose lives he touched.
Visitation will be Tuesday, February 15th, 2022 from 11:00-1:00 PM at Woodfin Memorial Chapel with funeral service following at 1:00 PM.
