Edwin Arthur Cooper

Edwin Arthur “Art” Cooper, 76, of Newton, died Thursday, July 11, 2019, at WesleyLife Park Centre in Newton. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 16 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service and again immediately following the service with a lunch at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the First Lutheran Church, Wesley Life Hospice or the St. Nick’s Christmas Club may be left at the funeral home.

Art, the son of Sylvester “Bud” and Marvel Lorraine (Meade) Cooper, was born Jan. 22, 1943, in Newton. He was baptized at the First Lutheran Church in Newton. Art was united in marriage with Ramona M. Vanden Hoek Oct. 16, 1999, at his uncle and aunt’s (Edwin and Karen Meade) home in rural Newton. He had previously been married to Marlene K. Omodt July 2, 1966, in Gowrie. They had two sons, Jason A. Cooper and Matthew T. Cooper.

Art graduated from Newton High School. He was confirmed and later became a member of the First Lutheran Church. Art served his country in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. After returning from the service, Art took many night classes to further his career and became a senior engineer at the Maytag Company, Newton Laundry Facility. He retired from Maytag after being employed 41 years. Art enjoyed visiting with his children, step-children and step-grandchildren. He also liked woodworking, reading and going on short trips. Art was a very thoughtful and loving husband.

Those left to honor Art’s memory are his wife, Ramona; sons, Jason A. Cooper of Seattle, Wash., and Matthew T. Cooper of Minneapolis, Minn.; step-children, Matthew J. (Melinda) Brouwer of Gainesville, Ga., and Christina D. (Leigh) Downing of Waukee; step-grandchildren, Caleb Brouwer, Madeline Brouwer, Grace Brouwer, Leah Brouwer, Elizabeth Dykstra, Abagail Dykstra, McKala Downing, Ian Downing and Mya Downing; his sister, Judith K. “Kay” Millsap; sisters-in-law, W. June Ver Woert, Marlene J. (Harvey) Beyer, E. Eleanor (Gene) Jansen and Tena Vanden Hoek; and brother-in-law, Gerald (Lynda) Vanden Hoek. He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister-in-law, Leona W. Brandhof; brothers-in-law, William J. Vanden Hoek, Edward Brandhof, Roxie VerWoert, Vernon Vanden Hoek and Thomas W. Millsap; and a niece, Traci L. Alcantar.