Mrs. Mattie Bedford Cooper

Early on the morning of September 25, 2014, Mrs. Mattie Bedford Cooper made a very special transition from this earthly life to her eternal Heavenly Home. "She Has Gone Home To Be With God." On March 27, 1913, Mrs. Mattie Bedford Cooper was born to her loving parents, John Bedford and Maggie Bedford in Chidester, Arkansas; thus, beginning her one hundred and one year life journey. Mrs. Cooper was one of nine children: five brothers and four sisters. She attended the local schools in Chidester, and she acknowledged the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior when she joined the Capernaun C.M.E. Church in Chidester, Arkansas. Later she married the Late Rev. Horace Cooper and she honored her commitment of being a minster's wife. they lived happily together in Hope, Arkansas for many years until he passed away. She continued yo live in Hope, Arkansas as a young widow and concerned mother, learning to trust and depend on God for the courage and strength she would need to raise and care for her children; three sons and one daughter. She provided them with Christian training and instilled in them when they were young, to love the Lord and to love and respect others. When it came to he family, she faithfully adhered to the scripture which states: "She looketh well to the ways of her household; and her children called her blessed." (Proverbs 31) Mrs Cooper worked tirelessly in the community where she lived for many years and she was well respected and loved by her neighbors and church friends. She was a faithful and loyal member of the "BE BEE MEMORIAL C.M.E. CHURCH" in Hope, Arkansas and she once sang in the church choir, became a member of the Missionary Auxiliary and also belonged to the Eastern Star Chapter. Mrs. Cooper was a lover of beautiful and colorful flowers and plants and she had a natural "Green Thumb," for making plants grow and thrive. She thoroughly enjoyed nurturing and caring for he flowers; inside and outside her home was always a picturesque flower garden. Mrs. Cooper was known by many friends both in Hope, Arkansas and Milwaukee, as an excellent cook and she was often praised for her big beautiful scrumptious pound cakes and fried pork chops. She took great pride delighted in baking huge cakes for family and friends, al one had to do, was ask and she would get out the cake pans. In the early nineties, Mrs. Cooper chose to move to Milwaukee to be closer to her beloved daughter, Mrs. Daisy Franks and her family. She became the loving Grandmother in their j=home. She unite immediately with the St. Matthew C.M.E. church and she was a very faithful member and served in the Mission Auxiliary until her failing health no longer allowed her to attend regularly. Mrs. Cooper or Miss Mattie as many friends called her was a very mild mannered humble and demure Christian woman and she touched the hearts of all who met her. She had a beautiful smile for everyone, and just to be around her was such a joy and those that knew her wanted to adopt her as their "Mom." It was obvious to everyone that she loved the Lord with all of her heart; and it was this love and dedication to the Lord that sustained and kept her year after year, even as her health declined. And she continued life to the amazing age of "one Hundred and One......Indeed a well spent life." Mrs. Cooper was preceded in death by her parents; Mr. and Mrs. John Bedford, a son, Charles Cooper and Grandson, Charles Cooper, Jr.; five brothers, Otis Bedford, John S. Bedford, Humphrey Bedford, Clinton Bedford and William Henry Bedford; three sisters, Beatrice Bedford, Ruth Murrell and Josephine Powell. "WELL DONE THY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT" Mrs. Mattie Cooper leaves to mourn he rpassing and cherish her long life and beautiful and precious legacy, four generations of family: Her devoted and loving daughter, Daisy Lee (Late Jessie) Franks of Milwaukee, WI. Two son; Lucious (Yvonne) Bedford of Houston, TX and Lawrence Cooper of Milwaukee, WI. Five grandchildren; Theresa Hughes, Doris Ellison (Lester), LaCarter Franks, and Tracy Franks of Milwaukee, WI and Jackueline Smith of Hope, ARK. Five Great Grandchildren; Derrick Franks, Durrell Ellison, Kristy Franks, Milwaukee, Torre Greene and Sierra Gibson of Hope, Arkansas. Three Great-great Grandchildren; Destinae Franks, Derrick Franks Jr., Justice Booker and Zakyah Ellison. Five nieces; Della Mayhorn, Icy Bryant of Rockford, IL, Naomi Jean Shirley of Kansas City, KS, Shirley (Rubin) Allen and Kay Walker of Houston, TX. One nephew; John Bedford of Kansas City, KS Cousin; Mrs. Louise Jones of Milwaukee, and a host of other loving family, special friends and church family.

Mrs. Mattie Bedford Cooper

March 27, 1913 - September 25, 2014