CATCHING UP WITH RENAISSANCE LION HAROLD COOPER

 

Harold Cooper, Classs of 1967, is a Renaissance Lion, which Leon Battista Alberti (1404-72) described as that “a man who can do all things if he will.”

It embraces the notion that men should try to embrace all knowledge and develop their own capacities as fully as possible. Other label is Polymath.

That’s Harold!

Italy’s gifted men of the Renaissance sought to develop skills in all areas of knowledge, in physical development, in social accomplishments and in the arts.

For example, Alberti was an accomplished architect, painter, classicist, poet, scientist, mathematician and as a horseman and in physical feats.

A most famous Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), painted the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous works of art over the centuries, and excelled in science, music, invention and writing.

As for Harold, who has been married to Betty Grimes Cooper for more than a half-century (nearly 60 years if you count courtship years):

Attended United Electronics Institute in Louisville, Kentucky with Dick Clevenger, Roger Davis and Gary Teats. He worked at Waverly Hills Hospital when not in class at UEI.

That’s where he met his wife, Betty. They lived in West Virginia for 11 years until they moved to Kentucky in 1979, their home for 43 years.

Harold said: “I am on an Amish farm (in Millwood, south of Louisville) with a thousand acres on several farms surrounding me. Truly blessed to have a little age and still being able to enjoy life and do things.

They have 3 sons (Joseph, Harold Jr. and Jason), 7 grandchildren, 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren (soon to be 7).

 

Harold worked for F.K. Everest Electric, David’s Electric and Owens Illinois Glass in West Virginia.

Harold and Betty moved to Kentucky in 1979 where Harold bought his first mill that led to 25 years in logging and lumber business.

Harold told me “I have been active in trying new projects,” which is a great understatement!

He worked for large companies like Superior Chemical, AP Technoglass, Branham Corporation in Houston, Texas as a consultant and has a contractor’s license in North Dakota oilfields.

Hobbies blossomed into jobs like barn wood flooring, electric vehicle conversions, Live Edge slab, river tables and flipping houses after the age of 70!

Harold has a 1949 Dodge pickup (flathead 6 with 3 on the floor) and also restores classic cars with his son, Jason. During his Monongah days Harold’s next-door neighbor was Mary Turkovich, my favorite Monongah High teacher, who taught me math, algebra and geomentry and, most importantly, the value of discipline. Catherine Gaskins, another MHS teaching legend, lived “across the road” from the Cooper family.

Harold’s siblings are Bonnie Garrett, Golden Cooper, Jr., Eva Lou Autian, Richard Cooper, Elizabeth Ramsey and Robert Cooper. Their parents were Golden Andrew Cooper and Annie Mary Yost Cooper.

Golden was a minister at Rhea’s Chapel Church across from Mary Lou Retton Park. Harold became a minister in 1975.

He’s purchased and operated a Skid Steer loader to use on his farm, dismantled and delivered a log cabin to a spot miles away, been blessed with huge tomatoes because of a neighboring high-intensity flood lights, drives a mini-truck that can haul 1,200 pounds of food and farm items, loves to fish and hunt, including in the Red Line on Rough River, and has a chicken coop.

Hasn’t left out much in the way of doing things his way, has he?

Guess it’s fair to call him Super Duper Cooper!