Burleigh H. Cooper

Burleigh Herbert Cooper Jr. was born on 12 September 1920 in Peoria, IL to Ida (Smith) and Burleigh H. Cooper Sr. He was educated in the Peoria schools before being drafted into the U. S. Army for World War II in early 1942. During Basic Training he was offered a chance to attend Officers Candidate School at Fort Sill, OK. He graduated as a Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to the Field Artillery of the 26th Infantry Division. He landed in Europe on July 30, 1944 at Cherbourg, France. From that point he was extensively involved in the fighting to liberate Europe and his unit ended up in Czechoslovakia at the end of the war. He ended his World War II tour as a First Lieutenant and arrived back in Peoria on December 31, 1945. He went to college on the GI Bill and graduated the University of Illinois with a degree in accounting in August 1948. Having worked for his Army Officer's commission he remained in the Inactive Army Reserve and was called up for the Korean Conflict in 1950. He served in the Divisional Artillery Headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Division as an Assistant Operations Officer at the rank of Captain. During his military service he received the Air Medal, and a Purple Heart and Bronze Star during each conflict. He taught one semester of Reserve Officer Training at St. Bonaventure University before leaving the Army in 1953. Returning to Peoria he and his wife Roberta established and began to raise a family in Dunlap, IL. He used his accounting degree in working for the Caterpillar Tractor Company and its affiliates in the Peoria area. In November 1969 the family moved to New Hampshire to "be in vacation country the year round." He went to work for Merchants Bank in Manchester as an accountant and retired from the Bank as the Auditor in 1985. Beginning in Dunlap, IL and continuing through his life he was very active in the Kiwanis Club. He started a new unit to meet in the morning for those who could not leave work at noon and served as an officer many times in the Kiwanis Organization. While at the University of Illinois Burleigh met Roberta Ann Green. They were married in Normal, IL on April 10, 1949 and they enjoyed 59 happy years together. Burleigh is survived by his wife Roberta of Hooksett, a sister Mabel W. Elliott of Shelbyville, KY, two sons Edwin C. Cooper of Shelbyville, KY and Burleigh J. D. Cooper of Hooksett and a daughter Deborah Ann Pellerin of Concord, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. His Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday at Brookside Congregational Church, 2013 Elm St, Manchester. Interment will be at Provincetown, MA at the families convenience.