Harry was born on June 22, 1942, in Liverpool England to Harry Cooper and Anne Bird. He spent his childhood in England where he attended Secondary school at St. Mary's College in Crosby, earning his A-Levels in Science. At the age of 18, Harry emigrated to Riverside, California, where he held jobs picking oranges, and spray-painting sheet metal, spending his first paycheck on a guitar and a pair of Levi's. He left California after joining the US Air Force, briefly spending time in Texas and Illinois before being stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City. During this time, Harry attended classes at Gulf Coast Community College, where he met his future wife, Jane, when she purchased his English textbook.
After his discharge from the Air Force he used the GI bill to pursue a degree in International Affairs at Florida State University, in Tallahassee, FL. This time in his life formed the foundation for many lifelong friendships and relationships, both personal and professional. After many visits to the University of Florida in Gainesville he was married to Jane Edwards at a ceremony in her hometown of Panama City, FL, on November 19th 1970. Shortly thereafter the newlyweds set up housekeeping in Tallahassee, where Harry returned to Florida State University, earning his BS in Mathematics and his MS in Applied Mathematics. Harry moved to Charlottesville, VA, accepting a fellowship to the University of Virginia and later earning his PhD in Environmental Sciences, . This time in his life saw the birth of his son, Matthew, in 1981 and the birth of his daughter, Marianne, in 1985. Harry accepted a post-doctoral fellowship at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center followed by a position with Simpson Weather Associates. In 1987 Harry returned with his family to Tallahassee where he rejoined the company of many friends, family, and associates. He was a lecturer and researcher at Florida State University until his retirement in 2008. Over his career, Dr. Cooper was the author many scientific publications, delivered many formal addresses and seminars at numerous scientific forums, conferences, workshops and symposia, was the recipient of research grants from Federal and State funding agencies, and reviewed papers and proposals from a variety of sources. Dr. Cooper had close collaborations and friendships with some of the finest minds in his chosen field. These included noted Prof.’s Dr. Tzvi Gal Chen, Dr. Robert Simpson, Dr. Joanne Simpson, Dr. Mike Garstang, and Dr. Eric Smith, as well as Dr. David Emmitt of Simpson Associates, Dr. David Martsolf of University of Florida IFAS, Dr. Alberto Mugnai at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Frascati, Italy, and Prof. Gregory J. Tripoli at the University of Wisconsin’s Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department. Harry was fun. His presence and unique perspective brought energy to the room. He was modest to a fault, intellectual and compassionate, talented, inspiring, encouraging, and honest. He was a loving father and a loving husband who cared deeply for his wife and children. Harry believed that friendships were not fleeting, but meant to last a lifetime.
He was loving and beloved, and the world is a poorer place without him.
Harry is survived by his wife Jane, his son Matthew, his daughter Marianne, his son-in-law Richard Orr, and his brother-in-law Steven Edwards. In Britain, he is survived by his sister, Maureen Adair and her husband John, by his nephew Ian Adair and wife Sally, and their children Bethen, Alice, and Evie, and by his niece Alison Scott and husband Geoff, and their children Lucy and Clara.
A memorial mass will be held 2:00 PM EDT, Saturday, August 28, 2010 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Tallahassee.
Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home in Tallahassee, Fl.
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