Mr Lawyer Staten Cooper

On April 9, 1940 Lawyer S. Cooper was born to Luberta and Robert Cooper in Frenchman’s Bayou, Arkansas. He moved to California in 1940 with his grandmother, Elizabeth Miller. He was baptized as a young child under the direction of Dr. Herbert Guice in Alameda, CA. He attended John Muir elementary school and graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland, CA. He met and married the love of his life Annie Mae Smith, on October 28, 1959. To their union, Yvette, Paula, Stacey, and Kirika were born.

He joined the Air Force in 1960 and received an honorable discharge in 1967 for his service. Lawyer worked at the Alameda Naval Air Base as a telecommunications specialist until his retirement. Lawyer and his family joined Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland, CA under the direction of Dr. Herbert Guice.

Lawyer was a hard-working man who believed in providing a good home and a stable environment for his family. He took on a leadership role in mentoring a lot of cousins, nephews, neighbors, and friends. He established several streams of revenue to sustain the family’s livelihood, doing carpentry work and recycling reusable waste, outside of his career work. He learned many of his carpentry skills from his father and took classes at Laney College, in Oakland, to enhance his knowledge. He was a generous man always willing to lend a helping hand to family and friends in need. He taught his children that if someone comes to you and needs clothes or food, to offer them your best.

Lawyer loved spending time with his family. He loved to take pictures and videos to capture many memories of family and celebratory moments. He loved to travel, shop, and spend quality time with his wife and best friend, Annie Mae. He was a family favorite due to his love and passion for attending family reunions by sharing stories of family history. He was a man of high standards and many people looked up to him. He showed many what it meant to be a devoted husband and father. His dream was to move back to Madera to live out the rest of his life and so he did.
Lawyer and Annie moved to Chowchilla, CA in 2001. They joined the Fairmead Community and Friend’s in 2007 and Lawyer’s role was Treasurer and Board Member. They also joined the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church under the direction of Reverend Robert L. Walker. As a member, he participated in the Men’s choir and taught Sunday school. He loved to study, read the bible, and listen to his audio bible, on his tablet. He enjoyed the country life, working outside on his property with the family horses and dogs, and riding his various tractors. He had a special love for music, specifically Gospel and the Blues. One of his all-time favorite songs was, “Last two dollars” by Johnnie Taylor.
Lawyer leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 62 years, Annie Mae Cooper; his four children:
Yvette Cooper-Smith, Paula Cooper (Al), Robert Stacey Cooper (Connie), Kirika Cooper. Nine Grandchildren: Aaron Andrew Jackson (who preceded him in death), Darlene Valencia Cooper, Kassan Jackson, Nicole Patton, Fatima Jackson, Lewis Patton, Stacey Cooper, Victoria Patton, Aniya Cooper. Two Great-grandchildren: K’Mari Jackson, Alessia Skye Alvarado Patton. Three Brothers: Bobby Cooper, Darryl Cooper (who preceded him in death), and Marvin Cooper (who preceded him in death). Two sisters: Emma Kettle and Robin Ogden. A host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.