John Green Cooper, proud veteran
John Green Cooper of Georgetown passed away peacefully Thursday, June 30, 2022, with his daughters and grandson by his side, just three weeks after celebrating his 99th birthday.
He was born June 10, 1923, in Wyoming, son of the late Benona Nolan and Mabel Green Cooper. John lived in Delaware all his life, residing in Magnolia, Smyrna, Dewey Beach and Georgetown.
John attended Caesar Rodney High School, leaving in the 11th grade to attend radio school prior to joining the U.S. Army. He received his diploma from Caesar Rodney High School in 2017 at the age of 94. John was a proud World War II veteran, having honorably served as a radio operator in North Africa and in Caserta, Italy at Supreme Allied Command Headquarters from 1942-45. He also served in the Delaware Army National Guard from 1955-58. John was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8801 in Clayton. In his younger years, he ran youth dances at the VFW and was known as Jitterbug John and His Dynamite Discs. He was also a charter member of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, La.
John spent most of his working career as a block operator for the Pennsylvania Railroad and later Conrail, working up and down the Delmarva Peninsula. He was a member of Pennsylvania Railroad Veterans Employees Association since 1963 and enjoyed spending time at their clubhouse, especially the annual oyster dinners.
John had many hobbies. He loved to travel and visited many states, as well as countries abroad. He was an avid stamp collector and was previously a member of Dover Stamp Club and Sussex Stamp Club. John was a member of the Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park and often talked about attending summer encampments at Fort Miles while in the National Guard. He was proud of the fact that his family roots in Delaware could be traced back to the 1600s.
In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Churchman Cooper; his brothers: Thomas Cooper and Nolan Cooper, both of Dover, and Lloyd Cooper of St. George, Utah; and his sister, Elizabeth Banks of Bowers Beach. He is survived by his daughters: Barbara DeBastiani (James) of Georgetown and Denise Curtis (Steve) of Milford; his grandchildren: Annette DeBastiani (Bryan Boyer) of Bear, Mary Caligiure (Chris) of Millsboro, and Dr. William Pajerowski (Dr. Alyssa Levin-Scherz) of Waban, Mass.; his great-grandchildren: Amadeo and Francesca Caligiure, Alexander and Zoe Pajerowski, and Brock Boyer; his stepgrandsons: Nick Curtis (Kristin), Simon Curtis (Tamsyn) and Ethan Curtis; and a host of nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to John’s longtime caregiver, Sherita Taylor, and his physician, Dr. Fabricio Alarcon, for their excellent care.
A funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 13, at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Dodd-Carey Chapel, 307 N. Bedford St., Georgetown, where friends may call beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow the services at 2 p.m., at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 26669 Patriots Way, Millsboro.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Veteran Employees Association-PRR, c/o Carol Fry, 1 Mews Road, Milford, DE 19963.
Visit John’s Life Memorial webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
