Obituary of Donald Dean Cooper

Donald Dean Cooper, of Yuba City, CA, was born on December 29, 1930, in Ansley, Nebraska. He comfortably passed away at home on November 1, 2023, at the age of 92. Don proudly served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years. While on assignment in England, he met his future bride Irene Chaperlin and were married in 1958 in London. They were happily married for 61 years before her passing in 2019. Don's career in the Air Force brought him to several locations around the world. His final assignment was at Beale AFB where he worked within the 9th Reconnaissance Wing as part of the SR-71 program. He was deployed to Vietnam and served at Da Nang Air Base for one year before returning to Beale AFB. After he retired from his career in the Air Force, he started a new career at Kinney Electric in Yuba City, where he worked for an additional 29 years. Don became the go-to guy in the shop to all the farmers in the area as well as to most all the local commercial repairmen. Don lived in the same neighborhood for 52 years. He was well known around the neighborhood for being able to fix most anything. The neighbors would often come to him for help on fixing things around their house, and he was always happy to help. Don is survived by his two sons, Steven D. Cooper (Alicia) of Yuba City and Michael D. Cooper (Kim) of El Dorado Hills; four grandchildren: Melissa (Cooper) Haile of Marysville, Madeline (Cooper) Barnreiter of Marysville, Stephanie Cooper of El Dorado Hills and Joseph Cooper of El Dorado Hills; three great-grandchildren: Barrett Haile, Levi Barnreiter and Myles Barnreiter. Services will be held at Ullrey Memorial Chapel located at 817 Almond St., Yuba City, CA, on November 13, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Following the service there will be a procession to Sutter Cemetery for the burial service. A small reception for family and friends will be held at The Harvest Room located at 1465 Tharp Rd., Yuba City, CA.