DEWITT CO., Ill. — Long-time DeWitt County and McLean County farmer Arthur E. Cooper passed away on February 27, 2020. 

 He was born in Birkbeck on October 18, 1925, to J. D. Cooper and Nellie Torbert Cooper.  The family moved to a farm east of Wapella, where Art grew up and lived much of his adult life.  

Art had many happy memories of attending Mooreville School because of its outstanding teacher, Mrs. Gregory.  In 1946 he married Betty Short.  They had two children,  Cynthia Lou and Bruce Elwood.

Art and Betty were active in the Wapella Christian Church.  In 1968, a tornado destroyed Art’s farmstead near Wapella, and Art and Betty then moved to an acreage near Weldon.

Although Art and Betty toured Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Scandinavian countries, they loved traveling the USA, especially Sanibel Island, Fla., Hawaii, and Alaska.

As all of his grandchildren know, Art had a competitive streak and loved playing games.  He had exceptional ping pong skills.

Art had two siblings; a brother, William Edward Cooper, who proceeded him in death, and a sister, Ruth Cooper Stone who resides in Texas.

Other survivors include his son, Bruce, (Bonny), his daughter, Cynthia, 8 grandchildren:  Matt Cooper, (Brooke), Timothy Brown (Christy Olezeski), Dana Brown (Melinda), Betsy Hoffman (Travis), Jeremy Brown, Michael Cooper (Megan), Kendra Holland (Jason), Lindsay Brown Gruis (Aaron), 15 great-grandchildren, and his sister-in-law, Bea Cooper.

Art was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, his parents, his brother, Bill, his son-in-law, Daniel Brown, and his brother-in-law, Richard Stone.

Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at the Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton, with Ernie Harvey, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Mausoleum Park Cemetery, Clinton. Visitation will be held from 1–2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be directed to the Little Galilee Christian Assembly.

Online condolences may be made at www.calvertmemorial.com.