Cleo Cooper, 91

Cleo Margaret Mitchell Cooper, 91 of West Portsmouth , Ohio, died Tuesday, May 15, 2012, peacefully in her sleep at Southern Ohio Medical Center after an extended stay at Hempstead Manor in Portsmouth, Ohio. She was born July 26, 1920 in West Portsmouth, Ohio as an only child to the late Harry Mitchell and Amy Evans Mitchell. Along with her parents, Cleo was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Laurence Leo Cooper, son Larry Cooper and granddaughter Carrie Cooper.

On June 29, 1940, Cleo married the love of her life, Laurence Leo Cooper of Washington Township, Scioto County Ohio. While Leo served abroad for the Army of the United States, Cleo earned her Bachelors of Science in Education from The Ohio University of Athens, Ohio. She also began a career as a second grade teacher at Nauvoo Elementary which she continued for 40 years with the Washington-Nile School District. Through the years Cleo was a doting mother to her son Larry, enjoyed traveling the world with Leo, was a devoted grandmother and was very active in her community. She was a longstanding member of the Raven Rock Garden Club, Oldtown United Methodist Church in West Portsmouth, Ohio, and Retired Teachers Associations.

Cleo is survived by her sisters-in-law Judith Cooper and Kathleen Vernier of West Portsmouth, three grandchildren, Clinton Cooper of San Diego, Calif., Lance Cooper of Columbus, Ohio, and Savannah Cooper of Chicago, Ill.; and two great-grandchildren, Jackson and Emmy Cooper of San Diego, Calif.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 19 at the Roger W. Davis Funeral Home in West Portsmouth with Reverend Chris Wiseman officiating. Interment will be in Rushtown Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 7:00 PM on Friday and 1 hour prior to the service on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Cleo's name to Oldtown United Methodist Church in West Portsmouth. Condolences may be sent to www.rogerwdavisfuneralhome.com