Gloria Jean Cooper

Gloria was born on June 5, 1943 in Lufkin, Texas, to Dorothy Mae and L.B. Ford, Jr. She grew up in Diboll, Texas, where she was a baton twirler at Diboll High School, enjoyed sewing custom dresses to fit her tiny frame, and loved to go to Lufkin for hamburgers and a movie or to the skating rink. Gloria met the love of her life, Walter Dewey Cooper, Jr., in those early years, on a blind date. Though they met on a blind date, they recognized in one another a complementary and kindred spirit, and were by all accounts inseparable from that point forward. They married shortly after, on June 14, 1960, and remained together for all of their years, departing the earth only to be together again less than one day apart.

Gloria and Walter raised three children together, Felecia Denise, Brenda Gale, and Walter Delwin. They made their family the center of their lives, and remained deeply involved with their children and seven grandchildren throughout their lives. They also formed many lifelong friendships, and were steadfast members of the Baptist church. Walter and Gloria settled in Houston, Texas, in the early 1960s. Gloria loved her home and her family, and was proud to work for a law firm in downtown Houston for many years. She enjoyed vacationing at the lake, spending time with her friends and loved ones, cooking and baking, and serving in various roles at her church throughout the years - most recently as a greeter (along with Walter) at Second Baptist Church in Kingwood.

There are no words that can adequately describe in such a short space who Gloria was and how much she meant to those who loved her. For many of us, she defined the role of mother and nana. She was also a treasured friend, and she unequivocally held the whole of Walter’s heart in her small, soft, capable hands. Gloria was kind-hearted, loving, and funny. She was also strong and fiercely advocated for herself and those she loved. She was a huge supporter of each member of the family, never failing to remind each person that they were special, and why. She could be quick with a fiery word when warranted, and she was just as quick to extend grace. If you needed someone in your corner, a hug, cooking and homemaking advice, or just wanted to chat about your day, she was your person. Gloria embodied in herself and modeled for those around her, what it was to unapologetically be her own person, to live with joy and bear difficulty with grace, and to love with every fiber of her being.

It is with great sorrow that we say goodbye to Gloria and Walter. Our loss is indescribable, though we take solace in the knowledge that in death, as in the whole of their lives, they are together as they continue their journey.

Gloria is survived by her three children and seven grandchildren: Felecia and Michael Balkcom, Brenda Hahn and David Hahn (deceased), and Walter Delwin and Rhenda Cooper; Lynette O’Keefe, Brittney Balkcom (Liss LaFleur), Joshua Balkcom (James Stoker), Katrina Hahn, Kasey Hahn (Chris Tipton), Kamryn Hahn, and Ryan Cooper. Gloria is also survived by many extended family relatives and friends. Gloria was immediately preceded in death by her beloved husband of sixty years, Walter Dewey Cooper, Jr. (March 1, 1939-December 1, 2020).