Florence Maria Cooper

Florence Maria Cooper, 82, of Kellogg, died Feb. 25, 2017, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with Rev. John Epperson, Grinnell Regional Hospice Chaplain, officiating. Pallbearers will be Donald and Jerry Henning, Hannah and Sarah Kielly, Dale Lenz and Chuck Van Thournout. Burial will be in Our Silent City Cemetery in Kellogg. Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Florence Cooper Memorial Fund.

Florence was born Jan. 22, 1935, on her family farm in Rock Creek Township, near Kellogg, the daughter of Roy and Samantha Davis Henning. She was raised in the Kellogg area and was salutatorian of her 1953 graduating class at Kellogg High School. While in school and after graduation she was employed at Hagen’s Grocery Store in Kellogg.

On Oct. 31, 1954, she was united in marriage with Robert Dean Cooper at the Kellogg United Methodist Church. A union of 62 years! For many years she was a “farmer’s wife” and loved working with her husband. They formed a strong bond together and became a good team in running a successful farm operation while raising their family.

Florence was a member of the Kellogg United Methodist Church, the Kellogg Historical Society and the Neighborly Neighbors Club. She loved the outdoors, gardening and canning her produce and growing flowers. She held a passion for cooking, baking peach pies and attending square dances on a Saturday night. She knew the value of hard work! She kept herself busy from sunrise to sunset, every day, making sure her daily work was completed. But, most importantly, was her love for her family. She enjoyed her granddaughters’ activities and teaching them by example strong values and a strong work ethic.

Survivors include her husband, Robert of Grinnell; two children, Carol (David) Kielly of Baxter and Art Cooper of Kellogg; twin granddaughters, Sarah Kielly of Independence and Hannah Kielly of Cedar Rapids; and one brother, John (Myrtle) Henning of Hartwick. She was preceded in death by her parents; and one brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Donna Henning.