Milton Leroy Cooper (1929 - 2022)

Born 5 Sep 1929 in Norfolk, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Died 7 Dec 2022 at age 93 in Dover, Kent, Delaware, United States

Biography

Milton Cooper is a part of US Black heritage.

Milton was born in 1929 in Norfolk, Virginia. He was the son of James Russell Cooper and Helen Patterson.^[1]

In the 1940 census Leroy (age 10) was the son of Russell Cooper in Norfolk, Norfolk City, Virginia. His mother and two siblings were also in the household.^[2]

Milton Cooper served in the United States Army in the Korean War
Service started:
Unit(s):
Service ended: 1954

He married Mary Wyche, who predeceased him.

Milton married again to Mary Agnes Green in 1961 in Norfolk, Virginia.^[1]

He died in 2022 and was buried in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, Delaware..^[3]

Obituary

Milton Leroy Cooper was born on September 5, 1929, in Norfolk, VA. He attended the local public schools and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1948. He subsequently attended Florida A&M University, located in Tallahassee, on a band scholarship. As a music education major, Milton did his student teaching under the direction of alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, who would later become a legendary figure in the jazz world. Upon graduation from Florida A&M in 1952, Milton joined the United States Army and served his country in Korea at the height of the Korean War.

After his honorable discharge from the military in 1954, Milton returned to Virginia to teach music and direct bands in the Norfolk area. He sought to expand his professional horizons by enrolling in a master's program at Columbia University in New York. Being in New York allowed Milton to reunite with his mentor Cannonball Adderly, whom he saw frequently. After completing his master's degree, Milton taught for several years in the Norfolk area before receiving an appointment as instructor of music and band director at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. From there, Milton moved to Dover, DE to accept a teaching position and band directorship at what was then Delaware State College in 1971. Delaware State would prove to be his longest employer given that he worked at this institution for thirty-six years.In addition to his academic duties, Milton was a pillar of the local music community as he performed with Delaware's leading musicians. He also served as a mentor to many professional musicians and music teachers who happened to come under his tutelage during his tenure at Delaware State University. He retired in 2006.

Milton was predeceased by his first wife, Dr. Mary Wyche, a longtime instructor and administrator at Delaware State University. He is survived by his current wife, Mrs. Jung-Shil (Melody) Cooper; and a nephew, Dr. Edward Dawley, Associate Professor of French at Delaware State University.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Marriage: "Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014"
   Virginia Department of Health; Richmond, Virginia; Virginia, Marriages, 1936-2014; Roll: 101144740; Certificate Number: 1961012980
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9279 #12749518 (accessed 8 December 2023)
   Milton Leroy Cooper (31) marriage to Mary Agnes Green on 4 Jun 1961 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
2. ↑ 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1940; Census Place: Norfolk, Norfolk City, Virginia; Roll: m-t0627-04311; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 114-1
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #17770186 (accessed 8 December 2023)
   Leroy Cooper (10), single son, in household of Russell Cooper (30) in Norfolk, Norfolk City, Virginia. Born in Virginia.
3. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247554802/milton-leroy-cooper: accessed 14 May 2023), memorial page for Milton Leroy Cooper (5 Sep 1929–7 Dec 2022), Find a Grave Memorial ID 247554802, citing Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, New Castle County, Delaware, USA; Maintained by Pippin (contributor 48921689).
4. ↑ Delaware State News, 20 Dec 2022, Web (legacy.com, accessed 14 May 2023).

See also:

• "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6X24-91P2 : Fri Mar 24 21:18:09 UTC 2023), Entry for Milton L Cooper, 19 April 1950.