Wallace 'Red' Cooper

| January 22, 2015 3:00 AM

1928-2015

Wallace was born in Arago Township, Minn. to George Elwood Cooper and Enne Elvina (Youmans) Cooper. He spent his childhood years growing up on the family farm in Park Rapids, Minn. After a few years of courtship as a young man he married Lila Irene Robbins on December 4, 1948. Together they had four children, two of which were born in Park Rapids; a daughter born in 1948 and a son in 1949. They moved west to Riverdale, North Dakota to work on the Garrison Dam. In 1950 their third child was born.

Wallace worked construction most of his adult life. After a brief time in North Dakota, they headed west to Washington State. He built a home in Moses Lake where his last daughter was born in 1952.

Wallace, or "Red" to everyone that knew him here in Washington, worked construction driving heavy equipment on most of the dams in Washington: Grand Coulee, Priest Rapids, Chief Joseph and Wanapum, just to name a few. After that he started building roads and highways working for McAtee & Heath for 31 years before retiring.

Red loved the outdoors: hunting, fishing and camping. Whenever he could, he would! He taught his boys how to hunt and fish. Even though he always said the fish here were never big enough here in Washington, he would say, "Gash darn minnows, we use those for bait in Minnesota!" then he would throw them back in the water. He taught his family to love nature and the outdoors.

Red is survived by his wife of 65 years Lila, still living in the family home; one son Gary and wife Deon Cooper, daughter Arlenne Martinez all of Moses Lake, Wash.; four sisters Yvonne Larson of Cape Coral, Florida, Irene Willenbring of Park Rapids, Minn., Ruth Ann Rodeman of Park Rapids, Minn. and Veda Kleir of Menahga, Minn.; 14 grandchildren: Darrel Day, Carla DeBarr, Brenda Canter, Chrissy Davis all of Buckhannon, W. Virginia, Dean and Eric Martinez, George, Justin and Wylie Cooper, Sherrie Armstrong, Heather Cooper all of Moses Lake, Wash., Cindy Pinard, Jeff Cooper of Kennewick, Wash., and Tina Cooper of Othello, Wash., 18 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents George Cooper in 1985 and Ann Cooper in 1999, daughter Mary Ann Day in 2006 and son Larry Kay Cooper in 1981.

Viewing will be held from 2 - 6 p.m., Thursday, January 22, 2015 in Carver Family Funeral Home, 1217 E. Wheeler Rd., Moses Lake, Wash. Private family graveside services will be held in Pioneer Memorial Gardens, Moses Lake.

Anyone wishing to pay last respects can do so by going to www.carverfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements in care of Carver Family Funeral Home.