Marian Frances Wilkerson Cooper, 99, passed away Tuesday, September 13, 2022, in Memphis, Tennessee, following a lengthy illness.

Marian was born at her parents' home in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, on January 15, 1923, the first of three daughters born to Robert Roger Wilkerson and Mamie Lillian (Crafford) Wilkerson.  She and her sisters grew up in Cotton Plant, helping out at the family store and John Deere implement company, The Leader Company, where ration books were a part of daily business.  The family attended Cotton Plant United Methodist Church.

She graduated from Cotton Plant High School in 1940 where she was voted Most Studious, Best Girl Athlete, Best All-Around Girl. Most Talented, and Most Charming.  She was also the editor of the school newspaper and annual, secretary of the senior class and charm club, and a member of the glee club.  She was a cheerleader, 4-year member of the basketball team, and class valedictorian.

She went on to graduate with a BSE from Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway.  While in college she was president of the Royal Rooters leadership organization, secretary and treasurer of Alpha Sigma Alpha social sorority, member of the scholarship organization Alpha Chi and the home economics and art clubs. She was also a member of the YMCA cabinet and Student Interest Committee.  She represented the college in the National War Fund Drive and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol.

Her first teaching job was teaching science at Cotton Plant High School, and she then taught science, Biology and Chemistry at Brinkley High School.  She was voted Teacher of the Year several times and sponsored the Science Club.  Her teaching career spanned almost 35 years and she retired in 1984.  Even after retiring she helped spread her knowledge of science….If you wanted to borrow a cup of sugar from Miss Cooper you had better know it's scientific name, sucrose.

Marian was always interested in helping new teachers as Mother Confessor and every girl with a problem came to her.  Her interests included weather, astronomy, genealogy, Jeopardy, insects, and her precious Lepidoptera – butterflies.

Marian was an active member of her Arkansas community.  She was a member of the Cotillion Club, Delta Kappa Gamma retired teacher's organization, Gli Amica, the Business and Professional Women's Club and helped with Brinkley Tourist Day.  She received a local and statewide conservation award and served on the selection committee for two years for the Arkansas Volunteerism Service Awards.  She was honored as the Brinkley Citizen of the Year in the early eighties.

Marian joined the Brinkley United Methodist church February 8, 1944.  She taught Sunday school and her 90 ^th birthday celebration was held in the church's fellowship hall attended by hundreds of people.

In 1941 Marian defied convention and learned to fly at Terry's Flying School.  After her first solo  cross county trip from Brinkley to Stuttgart to Little Rock and back to Brinkley, she took her first passenger for a ride, her father.  While learning to fly she met fellow pilot Harold Loyd Cooper.  They were married in the front room of her family home on December 25, 1942.  They then moved to Brinkley.  Harold ran an agricultural aviation service and Marian taught school.  They went on to raise three children together, Roger Clyde, Paul William, and Cathy Jane.  She always maintained a keen interest in aviation and at the age of 94 she was treated to an exciting airplane ride piloted by the late Chad McLain.

Marian's husband Harold; parents Roger and Lillian; and sisters, Dorothy Wilkerson White, and Anne Wilkerson Morris; predeceased her as did her nephew Robert Carroll White.  She is survived by her three children; Roger Cooper and wife Lou Anne of Belleaire, Michigan; Paul Cooper and wife Sharon of Germantown Tennessee; and Cathy Cooper of Memphis, Tennessee, with whom she made her home for many years prior to her death; six grandchildren; Sean (Susannah) Cooper and Blake (Sarah Keedy) Cooper; Alicia Cooper Chatterton (Todd); Cooper (Liz) Ayres, Morgan Ayres and Sarah Jane (fiancé David Vega) Ayres.  Marian leaves four great-grandchildren; Ian and Mira Cooper; and Capri and Paxton Cooper; her nephew Richard Lehmann, and niece Beth Kirk; and her very dear friends Rhonda and Jim Carroll of Brinkley.   She will also be deeply missed by her many cousins, friends, former students and fellow educators.

Memorials:  Cotton Plant Cemetery: C/O Sue Reeves, 185 3rd Street, Cotton Plant, Arkansas 72036