Jeanette Cooper

Jeanette Taylor Cooper Jeanette Gracie Taylor Cooper of Twin Falls, Idaho, passed away peacefully in her home, Feb. 22, 2021. Jeanette was born Oct. 31, 1938, in Roxboro, N.C., the first child of Thelma Catherine Smith and James Walter Taylor Jr. A sister, Judith Annette Taylor was born in December 1939, and was her treasured friend through life. Both parents were involved in the early years of World War II in shipyards in Georgia, and later with her father as an Army Air Corps instructor. Her father died in a tragic accident returning home from a base in 1944. Under their mother’s guidance, Jeanette and Judy overcame many challenges with the support of a beloved extended family. They later moved to Wilmington, N.C., and she was an excellent student in drama and music, graduating with Judy from New Hanover High School in 1957. The two of them moved to Provo, Utah to attend BYU. She met James Gary Cooper while he served as an LDS mission in North Carolina, and after his military service married Aug. 1, 1958, in the Logan Utah LDS Temple. They later divorced in 1979. While in Logan, they had 3 kids, Gary Scott, Kara and Bryan, and she graduated from Utah State University with a degree in social work. They moved to Pocatello, Idaho in 1965, where they had two more kids, Debra and David. She was a dedicated mother, enjoying time traveling and at their cabin in Island Park. Jeanette completed a master’s degree in special education from Idaho State University in 1978. Jeanette moved to Sandy, Utah, in 1980 and was a special ed teacher for 22 years. She was surrounded by loving neighbors in raising her youngest children. She had a flair for travel with her youngest two children, with van breakdowns in Germany, stowing away the kids across the English Channel, or evading angry bikers in Las Vegas. After retirement she taught English for at schools in China. She served as an LDS missionary in Hong Kong from 2004-05. Moving to Twin Falls in 2006, she enjoyed closeness to family and grandchildren in Idaho and the local community. She moved to Hailey in 2015 and made special connections in a place she always loved. She returned to Twin Falls in 2020 during the pandemic and lived in safety near her family enjoying her days and cherished memories of life. Jeanette was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, raised with a testimony of her loving Savior and His Gospel Plan of Salvation. Her life followed a covenant path reliant upon the light of the gospel. She relied on the Lord through many ordeals of health and struggle, but was grateful for all blessings of her children and grandchildren. “Without our sorrows, we never would have known such great joy.” She is survived by children, Gary Scott Cooper, his wife Carol and 3 children; Kara Coffin, husband Layne, and 3 children; Bryan Cooper, wife Lanette, and 6 children; Debra Cooper and 2 children; David Cooper, wife Tamara, and 5 children; 10 great-grandchildren; two nieces, Cinda Vann and Pam Mouw, both of California, two great-nieces and one great-nephew; many cousins and one aunt. She is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, one niece and one granddaughter. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Twin Falls LDS Harrison Ward, 667 Harrison Street, Twin Falls, Idaho, at 11 a.m. Friends may call one hour prior to the service in the relief society room. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation of goods or time to the CSI Refugee Center. Those who wish may share memories and condolences on her memorial page at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com. Those wishing to view the Memorial Service Life Stream, may go to zoom.us, join meeting #748-815-8781, passcode 12345. Please recognize mask and social distancing if attending the service.