LeRoy Cooper

He was a life-long resident of the Escanaba Area and member of Bethany Lutheran Church where he practiced his Christian faith. He graduated from the Escanaba Area High School in 1959 and married Carol Jacques on July 16, 1960. In 1966, LeRoy took over the family

business, Cooper Office Equipment, until retiring in 1990 when his sons John and Rob assumed ownership. He served on the First Federal Great Lakes Credit Union board for over 20 years.

LeRoy kept active with his many hobbies including Wednesday night volleyball at the Escanaba High School for nearly 50 years. In his later years, he spent Wednesdays in the summer riding with his motorcycle gang, Old Coots on Scoots, guided by younger member and family friend, Bear Stankowicz. He enjoyed senior-discounted coffee while keeping up-to-date with friends and the Escanaba goings-on at his weekly coffee klatch. He loved to golf in the men’s league at the Highland Golf Club and was known to periodically enjoy the 19th hole.

LeRoy loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and four-wheeling at his camp in Cornell where he worked the land with his beloved backhoe and his handmade portable sawmill he named “The Bug”.

LeRoy was an avid fisherman and hosted an annual hot dog and chili feed at his ice shanty on the Bay. He and his family spent many summers camping, boating and telling stories around the campfire at Shaky Lakes. For decades, he and Carol headed south to join their retired Yooper neighbors in Florida, a transported Escanaba snowbird community relaxing by the pool, and gathering for weekly card and cocktail parties served with loads of laughter. LeRoy and Carol loved spending time with their grandchildren and enjoyed attending many of their sporting events, including baseball, basketball, hockey, and dance competitions.

LeRoy is survived by his wife Carol and sister Lois Lavelle (Don, deceased), sons John Cooper (Amanda) and Rob Cooper (Tracy), daughters Connie Nagy (Tom) and Carrie Cooper (Sebastien), grandchildren Sydney Chado (Brian), Jennifer Pericolosi (Jake), Jessica Clarke (Jordan), Bryce Cooper, Brandon Cooper and Braden Cooper, and great-grandchildren Wyatt Clarke, Brody Pericolosi, Brock Pericolosi and Emerson Chado and many nieces, nephews and Jacques in-laws.

He was preceded in death by his parents Lee and Agnes Cooper and in-laws Ernest and Viola Jaques.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Saturday, October 11, 2025 at the Anderson Funeral Home in Escanaba. Funeral services celebrating the life of LeRoy Cooper will be held at 4:00 pm Saturday at the Anderson Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Elizabeth Daniels officiating. A luncheon will be served following the funeral services in the Ludington Room located at the Anderson Funeral Home. Burial will take place in the Gardens of Rest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be directed to the Delta County Cancer Alliance. The Anderson Funeral Home is assisting the Cooper family with the arrangements and online condolences can be sent to the family at www.andersonfuneralhomes.net.