Sarah Frances Cooper

If you need a blueprint for a well-lived life look no further than that of Sarah Frances Cooper. Her story
began July 21, 1931, when she was born to proud parents Eula Mae and Arthur Foster Smith in Newbern
Tennessee. She grew up in a large close-knit family with her sisters, Mary Lou (Smith) Jones, Mary Ellen
(Smith) Welch, Rebecca (Smith) Powell, brother Authur Foster Smith Jr, and niece Frankie (Burnett)
Stubberfield.
It may come as a surprise to some that as a teenager it was dancing that brought her the greatest joy! It’s
also how she met the LOVE of her life, Willie Louis Cooper! During her 90th birthday celebration Sarah shared
their love story with generations of family and friends! The two had been dating for a while and “Wil-Louis”
as she called him, was best friends with Rebecca’s “beau (bō)”. He agreed to drive them to Mississippi to
get married. Love was definitely in the air on November 19, 1949, because when they left Sarah and Louis
were married as well!
She obeyed the gospel as a young woman at Jones St. Church of Christ where she labored alongside her
husband faithfully for decades. He a song leader and part of church leadership, and she taught Sunday
School to elementary aged children. Their lives were made complete when Bernice (Walker) Thompson their
only child captured their hearts! They showered her with love and affection along with an occasional
healthy dose of discipline from Momma! While Sarah was known to fuss from time to time however, most
knew her bark was worse than her bite, especially her niece Lorraine “Francine” Mayberry (Detroit). The
two shared a special bond and they considered her a second daughter. Sarah loved flowers, and gardening
receiving “yard of month” honors on a couple of occasions! She also appreciated the value of a dollar often
saying “money don’t grow on trees” but would share whatever she had with her family.
Sarah the career woman was equally impressive! She began working at Parkview Hospital in Dyersburg as a
dietary aide and was later recommended for a program to train nursing assistants. After completion she
continued working in this capacity over 25 years before retiring from Methodist Health Systems in 1994. Her
caregiving spirit also extended to her family, caring for her mother and later her husband when his health
began to fail.
When her own health started to decline, she looked forward to her daily morning and evening conversations
with daughter Bernice. Her niece Kathy Robertson whom she called her “rock”, picked her up for church
every Sunday and made her weekly grocery runs. When Sarah became a resident at AHC of Dyersburg,
Kathy and her niece Yevette Williams (Atlanta) took the lead ensuring her needs were met communicating
with the staff on a regular basis.
Sarah Cooper left her earthly body to join her husband Louis on October 9, 2024. She leaves to mourn her
passing, daughter Bernice, two grandchildren Keino Thompson (Michigan) and Doncrita Thompson
(Georgia), several great grandchildren, a host of nieces, nephews and her Jones Street Church of Christ
Family.

Services
1:00 PM, October 14, 2024
Jones St Church of Christ
421 Jones Street, Newbern, Tennessee

Online condolences may be made to the family at johnsonwilliamsfuneralhome.com. Johnson-Williams Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Sarah Frances Cooper.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sarah Frances Cooper, please visit our floral store.