James K. Cooper of Southbury, Connecticut passed away peacefully on February 26, 2018 at Danbury Hospital.  He was born in Butler, Pennsylvania on June 7, 1926.  His freshman year in college was interrupted by service in the US Navy in World War II in the Pacific.  He served aboard the USS Sitka as coxswain on LST's in the combat zone from 1945 to 1946.

After the war he continued his education, graduating from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA with a degree in Business Administration.  Jim began his career in the packaging industry, and retired from Continental Can Company in 1981 as a Vice President.

He was active in Rotary International, serving as President of the Greenwich Rotary Club, and then District Governor of Connecticut District 7980 from 1994 to 1995.

He served as both Deacon and Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, where his remains will be interred in the Memorial Garden with military honors.

In between Greenwich, and Southbury, Jim lived for ten years in St. Simons Island, Georgia.  He loved life, and enjoyed traveling, skiing, and golf.  He was a dedicated husband and father, much loved by his family. He is survived by Barbara, his wife of 61 years, and his three children, Thea Cooper Rochester (Craig) of Seattle, WA, Melissa Steidl (Karl) of Ridgefield, CT and Jeffrey Cooper (Lynne Coll) of Norwalk, CT, and his four grandchildren, Lindsay Steidl, Kurt Steidl, Jane Rochester, and Ian Rochester.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2pm at Pomperaug Woods, 80 Heritage Road, Southbury, CT on Saturday, March 3, 2018.  Contributions may be made in his honor to rotary.org.  Munson Lovetere Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

Rotary International
Web: http://www.rotary.org