Gwendolyn M. Cooper

Gwendolyn "Gwen" Marie Cooper, 93 years of age, passed away at the Nebraska PEO Home in Beatrice, NE on Sunday morning, July 3, 2022. She was born on January 8, 1929 on a farm near Clay Center, NE to Elmer and Gladys (Johnson) Monson. She was a 1946 graduate of Clay Center High School and received a B.S. in Home Economics from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1950. She was involved at UNL with Ag Executive Board, Home Economics Club President, Mortar Board and Home Economics honorary organizations Phi Upsilon Omicron, Omicron Nu and Epsilon Sigma Phi. She then taught Home Economics at Ashland High School.
On June 23, 1951 Gwen married Charles R. Cooper Jr. in Portsmouth, VA. She was then a clerk for the CIA and was a home economics teacher at Palmyra and Lincoln High School. Gwen served as the Home Service Director for Norris Public Power from 1959- 1962 and was the County Extension Agent in Beatrice from 1962-1975. In August 1988 Gwen was appointed by then Governor Kay Orr to the Nebraska Public Power District Board of Directors serving until 1993 and had been the Secretary, First and Second Vice President. Gwen was recognized as 1962 Who's Who in American Women, Women's Division Outstanding Achievement in Governmental and Political Field in 1989, and in 1990 received the 4-H Alumni Award in Gage County.
She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and enjoyed singing in the choir, served on the Memorial and Endowment Committee and was a Parish Leader. She also was involved in Meals on Wheels, Mother to Mother Ministry, Red Cross, past president of the Beatrice Chamber of Commerce Woman's Division, Chapter Z PEO, and Fortnightly Club. Locally she was involved in the American Cancer Society, Beatrice Community Hospital Foundation Board, Beatrice Community Hospital Guild, Beatrice Public Library Foundation Board, and was a volunteer teacher for the Beatrice Public School Omnibus Program. She enjoyed traveling, gardening, her community activities, golfing, bowling, working out, and reading.
Survivors include brother Warren (Charlene) Monson of Jacksonville, FL, sister Norma (Ralph) Grotelueschen of East Moline, Ill; sisters-in-law Marilyn (Jerry) Rapaport of Castro Valley, CA and Nila Schuette of Lincoln. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Charles (2000); brothers Donald (Dorothy) Monson of Norfolk, NE; Marvin (Wilma), and Dick (Alene); brothers-in law Rod Schutte and Donald Hoyt; and sister-in-law Donna (Bill) Hoyt.
Celebration of Life services will be held 11:00 AM Monday, July 11, 2022 at the First Presbyterian Church in Beatrice. The service will also be Livestreamed on the church YouTube page presbybeatrice. Private burial of her ashes will be held at the Evergreen Home Cemetery. Public Visitation from 12-5:00 PM Sunday at the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice with the family greeting friends from 4-5:00 PM. A family prayer service will be held at 10:45 AM Monday at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that memorials be made to the church or Nebraska PEO Home. Sign Gwen's online guest book at www.ghchapel.com
These services have been entrusted to the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice.