John Wallace Cooper III

ODESSA – John Wallace Cooper III of Odessa was born June 28, 1925, in San Antonio to Alice Edwards and John Wallace Cooper, Jr. During his lifetime, John was known as an athlete, soldier, engineer, entrepreneur and rancher. He was loved deeply by his family and respected by his employees. After a long and esteemed career as a general contractor in West Texas, he died November 1, 2015, at the age of 90, after a short illness.

The family will receive friends on Friday, November 6, at Frank W Wilson Funeral Directors from 6 pm until 8 pm.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 7, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Odessa, under the direction of Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors.

John grew up in San Antonio along with his brother, Richard, who was two years younger. At Olmos Elementary School, he was advanced from first to third grade. At the age of 16, he graduated from Alamo Heights High School. John studied civil engineering at Texas A&M University, where he joined the Corps of Cadets.

He was drafted into the Army during his junior year, and went to Fort Walters for basic training and then was sent to Fort Benning, Ga., for Officer Candidate School. After being commissioned as a second lieutenant, John was sent to Camp Howze at Gainesville to wait for his overseas assignment. He was shipped out to the Philippines where he was in charge of transferring supplies and Japanese prisoners of war at the rail yard.

After 13 months of service, John returned to Texas A&M and was a member of the Class of 1946 with a degree in civil engineering.

While stationed at Camp Howze, he met Doris Couch, the love of his life. They sent cards and letters to each other while John was stationed in the Philippines. The couple was married August 30, 1947, in Gainesville. John first worked for J.W. Bateson Construction Company in Dallas and was assigned to Tennessee where he worked on the radioisotope lab at Oak Ridge. In 1951, John moved to Odessa to start a construction company with his brother-in-law Houston Smith. The firm, known as Smith and Cooper, was selected as contractor on the new Sears building located between East Seventh and East Eighth Streets. In 1954, John formed his own firm, Cooper Construction. In 1955, he incorporated the company as J.W. Cooper Construction Co., Inc.

During the Permian Basin’s building boom in the 1950s, John and his company built schools, churches, commercial structures and military projects throughout the Basin. By the mid-1970s, Cooper Construction was the largest firm between Fort Worth and Phoenix, Arizona. By the 21st century, Cooper Construction had changed the face of West Texas.

In 62 years, John built or remodeled over 15 million square feet of buildings. Projects include the 10-story AT&T Building in Midland; Midland and Ector County Courthouses; Air Traffic Control Tower at Midland International Air and Space Port Airport; senior citizen community buildings including Trinity Towers and Younger Center at Manor Park; Shotwell Stadium in Abilene; most buildings at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, including the Mesa Building, Library, science and technology building and the visual art studio; five buildings on campuses of Midland College, Odessa College, Angelo State University, Texas Tech, and Sul Ross State University; eight new high schools including Permian High in Odessa; nine new junior high or middle schools; six new elementary schools; three new vocational schools and numerous additions to schools totaling 200 in the Permian Basin.

John served as president of the Odessa Kiwanis Club, West Texas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America and Midland-Odessa Symphony. He twice was elected president of Odessa Country Club. He also served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Boys Club of Odessa, Community Chest (now United Way of Odessa), Permian Playhouse, First National Bank of Odessa, and as senior warden of St. John’s Episcopal Church. He was a member of the National Committee of the AGC.

He loved going to the lake house he built at Horseshoe Bay and spending time on his ranch nearby.

Survivors include his wife, Doris Cooper of Odessa; a son, John W. Cooper IV (Lana) of Midland; a daughter, Deborah Cooper Roberts of Austin; four grandchildren, Andrew Roberts (Kerri) of Belton, Jack Roberts of Austin, Rosemary Roberts (Mitchel Wilson II) of Los Angeles, California, and Christopher W. Cooper of Midland; and four great-grandchildren, Caroline, Asa and Clara Roberts of Belton, and Xyola Wilson of Los Angeles.

In memory of John W. Cooper III, the family requests donations be made to The University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Partners for UTPB Fund, 4901 E. University, Odessa, TX 79762.

Services entrusted to Frank W Wilson Funeral Directors.