Dorothy Holmstrom Cooper

Dorothy Holmstrom Cooper was born May 14, 1930 at home in Pittsburgh, PA to Edna and George Holmstrom. She was the baby of their 4 children. She survived her siblings, George Jr, Melva Jean and Beverly. Dorothy graduated from South Hills High School in 1948. She was the first student to enroll in Behrend College, the Erie campus of Penn State University. She transferred to El Paso to the Texas School of Mines (now UTEP) where she studied mining engineering. Dorothy met the love of her life, Victor Cooper in El Paso where he was studying geology. They eloped to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico on December 2, 1950. Her family held a formal wedding on June 2, 1952 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Coopers began their 67-year journey in Munchen, Germany where Victor was stationed while serving in the Army Corps of Engineers from 1952 to 1954. Following the service, the Coopers moved to Colorado where Victor worked as an exploration geologist for Phillips 66. Dorothy taught high school physics and raised her two daughters; Valerie, born in 1955 and Vicki, born in 1957. Dorothy was passionate about her family, meeting new people and her "projects". She became a community activist refurbishing broken toys donated from various merchants to provide Christmas presents for handicapped and institutionalized children in the Denver area. She sewed all of her family's clothing as well as uniforms and pageant dresses for her girls and their friends. In 1967, Victor was transferred to Oklahoma City where they lived until 2013. Dorothy loved painting, ceramics, sewing, and All Things Sports. She did live radio sports broadcasts and wrote about high school sports for the local paper. She loved sports and in her later years she thrived on Thunder basketball and any Pittsburgh sports team. She loved meeting new people and was a friend to all. The Coopers were active members of the Sportsman's Club, SIPES and the Elks in Oklahoma City. Dorothy travelled with Vic to Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and to nearly every state. The Coopers moved to Tulsa in 2013 where they established a home at Inverness Village. Dorothy made many friends at Inverness. She is survived by her daughters, Valerie and her husband Nestor Rigual, and Vicki Baker; her grandchildren: David Rigual and his wife Silvia, Gretchen Rigual, Molly Baker and Rob Baker. She left behind many beloved nieces and nephews and their children. We will all miss her very much. She was our "Mamu" and "Aunt Dot" and to quote one grandson, "the center of our universe". A celebration of Dorothy's life will be held Saturday, July 28th, 2018 at 4pm with a reception to follow at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 3612 East 91st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma (91st and Harvard). Dorothy hated funerals and hated wearing black. We ask that everyone wear something from one of her favorite sports teams (OKC Thunder, OSU, or any team from Pittsburgh, PA). The family suggest that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in her name to the Putnam City West Foundation: 16801 Kincross Circle, Edmond, Oklahoma 73012 Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 918-291-3500

Dorothy Holmstrom Cooper

May 14, 1930 - June 15, 2018