Lilian (Mollie) Cooper

Lilian Ellen (Mollie) Cooper, aged 97, died on April19, 2017 at the Olympia Medical Center (Los Angeles, CA), of complications from pneumonia. She was born on August 21, 1919 to Halgeth and Ellen Elizabeth Graves, in the village of Donington, England. Following graduation from Donington Grammar School she attended Lincoln Diocesan Training College (Lincoln, England; now Bishop Grosseteste University) from 1939 – 41, specializing in art studies. She subsequently took a teaching position at Deeping Saint James School and on September 3, 1946 in Donington, England, married Ronald Hereward Cooper, who served in the wartime RAF. Following marriage the couple moved to the town of Fordingbridge in the southern part of England, where Mollie continued her teaching profession at the local school. In July 1947 she gave birth to a son, Ronald Halgeth Cooper. In 1949 Mollie was appointed Head teacher of the village school at Weston Hills in the county of Lincolnshire, close to her birthplace and family. Mollie was very involved in the local church (Church of St John the Evangelist), and was instrumental in founding a Village Hall, which became the centerpiece of village life Mollie continued as Head teacher at Weston Hills Primary School until 1965 when her husband took a position with the Harlow Development Corporation in the County of Essex. Mollie joined the teaching staff of Abbotsweld Primary School in Harlow, later becoming Principal of the 500-pupil school, before retiring in1982. She and her husband moved to the village of Gosberton in the County of Lincolnshire, close to her birthplace and family. In retirement Mollie was an active participant in St. Peter and St. Paul’s Parish Church in Gosberton, helping in the organization of the Annual Flower Festival and other fundraising activities. She enjoyed gardening, travel, creating decoupage pictures, needlework, baking, and hosting dinner parties at her home. Following the sudden death of her husband in 1996, Mollie moved to the US (Los Angeles, CA) to be with her son, Ronald, who teaches at UCLA. Mollie and her husband had made a number of trips to the US, and Mollie’s then daughter-in-law (Nancy Vance Cooper) had introduced her to Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville NC, which is affiliated with the Episcopal, Church of the US. From 1997 until 2005 Mollie served as Honorary Hostess at Kanuga, assisting guests during Christmas and Summer Guest Periods, and serving English Tea. In 2001 Mollie was invited to serve as Hostess during the Meeting of the Primates of the Anglican Communion held at Kanuga, and she had the honor of meeting the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey. After moving to the US in 1997 Mollie joined All Saints’ Parish Church in Beverly Hills, becoming particularly involved in the SAGES group and hosting a number of English Teas for them. In 2006, after a fall, Mollie fractured her pelvis and following surgery was unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair. As a resident of the Hancock Park Rehabilitation Center (Los Angeles, CA) she enjoyed art and craft classes that the facility offered, until prevented by declining health over the last few months. Mollie is survived by her son, Dr. Ronald Halgeth Cooper (Los Angeles CA). She was predeceased by her husband, Ronald Hereward Cooper, sister Constance Elizabeth Graves, and brothers Reginald, Norman, and Clarence Graves. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that Memorial Gifts may be sent to one of Mollie’s favorite organizations: All Saint’s Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, CA https://www.allsaintsbh.org/make-a-one-time-gift/ Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville, NC https://www.kanuga.org/giving/ St. Mary and the Holy Rood Church, Donington, Lincs, England https://www.achurchnearyou.com/donington-st-mary-the-holy-rood/#