Evelyn Mae (Bass) Cooper, 96, of Rapid City and formerly of Aberdeen and Faulkton, went to be with the Lord Thursday, April 8, 2021 at St. Martin’s Serenity Place, Rapid City.

She will be laid to rest next to her loving husband, Robert, at the Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis.

Evelyn was born December 14, 1924 in Faulkton, SD to Elmer and Delpha (Salsberry) Bass. She received her education in Faulkton, graduating from Faulkton High School. Following graduation, Evelyn married the love of her life, Robert Cooper on August 19, 1942. While Bob was fighting in WWII with the 12th Armored “Hellcat” Division, Evelyn resided at Camp Barkeley in Abilene, TX.

Upon Bob’s return to the states, Bob and Evelyn returned to Faulkton where they raised their family and remained the rest of their lives together. Evelyn spent over 30 years working for the Farmers Home Administration and several years working for VoWac. Even into her 90’s, Evelyn remained active and volunteered with RSVP (retired senior volunteer program), serving as a receptionist in the ER waiting room of Aberdeen’s Sanford Medical Center.

Evelyn was a very active member of the United Methodist Church of Faulkton, serving many pastors and committees, and was a member of the church choir.  She was a proud and active member of the United Methodist Woman’s Dakotas Conference and was a Certified Lay Speaker. Evelyn loved to share and celebrate God’s word through preaching in Faulkton and at other rural churches. After Bob’s death in 2012, Evelyn moved to Aberdeen where she became a member of the Faith United Methodist Church and remained active in prayer groups, bible study, and her widows support group.

Evelyn never shied away from making a new friend, evidenced by the over 250 Christmas letters she sent each year, always bedazzled with a bit of her trademark glitter. She spent countless hours visiting with friends and neighbors and was enormously proud of her beloved “Carousel City”. Evelyn and Bob spent 25 years square dancing with the Seneca Sunflower Club and 57 years playing cards with the Couple’s Winter Card Club. Evelyn enjoyed tending to her hundreds of potted petunias each summer and decorating her home and community for every holiday.

Evelyn and Bob loved spending all their time together. They ran 10K races well into their 70’s, winning many ribbons and medals and enjoyed riding bikes for hundreds of miles. Evelyn and Bob enjoyed traveling, visited all 48 continental United States, and traveled all over the country to attend the annual 12^th Armored Division reunion.  Reminiscing and celebrating time with their fellow Hellcats and HellKittens was always an honor for Evelyn and Bob. In their later years, they visited Branson, Missouri twice a year to partake in the musical variety shows and the Ozark Mountain Country Christmas celebration.

Evelyn’s greatest joy was her family. If you have ever visited with Evelyn, you are sure to have heard stories of each member, recounted with overwhelming pride. Evelyn made even ordinary days something to celebrate. She and Bob frequently made the 280-mile trip from Faulkton to Rapid City to spend time with their grandsons when they were young and participating in school and sporting activities. Evelyn and the boys could be found running through Sioux Park, visiting Storybook Island, or skipping stones on Rapid Creek. Evelyn and Bob also loved hosting their grandsons in Faulkton during the summers. The trips to Rapid City became even more frequent after the birth of their first great-grandson, Jacob Christian. Even in recent years, Evelyn still enjoyed attending a few of Hayden and Beck’s baseball games each summer. Evelyn was so very good at finding the “serendipity” in life’s little moments and our family was so blessed to have shared in her joy of life and love of family.

Remaining to cherish her love of life are her son-in-law Ron Leighty of Rapid City, grandsons Brooke (Jennifer) Leighty of Spearfish and Kirby (Kerry) Leighty of Rapid City, great grandchildren, Jacob Leighty of Rapid City, Daulton Johnson and Kaycee Jo (Mario) Cipriaso of Spearfish, Hayden and Beck Leighty of Rapid City, and great-great granddaughter Mia Lynn Cipriaso, her son Lynn Cooper of Mountain View, California and his family, grandchildren, Cami (David) Mulholland and Tonya (Michael) Garnish of Denver, CO and great grandchildren, Amelia and Finley Mulholland of Denver, CO,  and her beloved nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband of 69 years and 236 days, Robert “Bob” Cooper, her precious daughter Toni Leighty, two brothers: Russel and Harry, and four sisters: Betty, Joyce, Clarissa, and Jess.

Memorials may be directed to the United Church of Faulkton, PO Box 411, Faulkton, SD 57438. In lieu of flowers, please consider planting red and purple petunias in memory of Evelyn and Bob.

Luce Funeral Home of Faulkton has been entrusted with her arrangements.

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