Cooper, Roy, Cpl

My Dad focused on his family. He had 5 children, 7 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He was active in his church and strong in his faith. He was an avid woodworker and a true artist with it. He grew a garden every year and raised his chickens. He worked E-System (A CIA toy shop ran by LTV in Garland Texas) Prior to moving over to E-System he was a design engineer for LTV. There were a number of avionics systems on the A7 that he designed. He knew many a great person and I benefited from that by getting to met a couple of them. Greg "Pappy" Boyington and Bob Galer both Medal of Honor holders. General Galer told me that he found it comical that here he was a retired Marine Corps General and he was working for a former USMC Corporal, which was proof that the Marines only take the best.

Dad was the number one Marine Recruiter. At his Memorial there were over 20 sets of Marine dress blues there and a at least that number of those that had put their blues away. I guess I was his only real failure in that department. I was career Navy and my visits at home were always fun. He would relate some funny incidents about his time in the Marines but he never really spoke about the hard part and he really never got over what he had seen and lived through. I would hear him at night yelling and during waking hours he was ever alert. There was no walking up on him. He was always aware of his surroundings. He is missed by many. It has been 20 years since is passing and I still find myself missing him. He and I used to call each other anytime we heard a stupid joke so we could repeat it to each other. In another way however I am glad that he is not here to see what this country has become. It would have broke his heart. He was a true patriot and had no use for those who did not love this country and put it first.