David Watkins Cooper Sr.
David Watkins Cooper Sr was a loving husband, father and grandfather who served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps during Vietnam and served 18 years in the U.S. Air Force. He will be greatly missed by his family and the communities he called home.
Our beloved David Watkins Cooper Sr., 83, of Kennewick, Wash., went to be with the Lord on Jan. 9, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on July 21, 1940, in Wilkinsburg, Pa., to the late Dorothy and Dorsey Cooper.
He met his wife, Connie Hutchcroft, in Moses Lake while in the Air Force. David was a proud Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years and the U.S. Air Force for 18 years. He retired as a Technical Sergeant in 1981 and received several commendations. His trade was in the electrical field. He retired a second time from J.R. Simplot Company in 2005 and lived in Moses Lake for 38 years.
David was a patriotic and loyal American who loved his country, was adventurous and enjoyed exploring the United States while learning about its history. He visited most of the states, many national parks, and countless monuments. He loved traveling, driving, camping, flying kites and drones, and playing Xbox and virtual reality games. David enjoyed riding his Honda Trail 110 in the mountains and was a skilled marksman who liked target practice. David had an artistic side that he expressed through his hobby of model trains. He built a large, intricate train platform village with realistic scenery and sound effects. He spent hours working on his trains and sharing them with his family and friends.
David is survived by his wife of 58 years, Connie (Hutchcroft) Cooper; his children, Dave Jr. and Debbie Cooper, Bonnie and Michael Harrington, and Pamela Knowlton; his grandchildren, Mathew Knowlton, Christina Knowlton, Angela Knowlton, Mackenzie Diaz, Tanner Harrington, Blake Harrington, Sydney Cooper, Maddie Cooper; and his great-grandchildren, Kase Diaz and Briar Diaz.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorthy (Mix) and Dorsey Cooper, his brother, Dennis Cooper Sr. and son-in-law, Ron Knowlton.
A funeral service will be held on Jan. 24, 2024, with military honors at 1 p.m. at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash. A celebration of life will be held on February 3, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Harvest Heights Assembly of God in Kennewick; a reception will be held at the church hall after the service. Instead of flowers, donations can be made to the Union Gospel Mission Pasco, Wash., in David Cooper's name.