Rev. Dr. Jack Cooper, age 90,

died peacefully at Pennswood Village, Newtown, PA on February 20, 2009.  Born in Baltimore, MD on February 16, 1919, Jack spent his childhood and youth on Staten Island, NY as a member of a family of twelve children.  He attended public schools and graduated in 1940 from Wagner College with his BA in History.  In 1943, he received a ThB from Princeton Theological Seminary and enlisted in the Navy Chaplains Corps, serving in the Pacific Theatre on Peleliu Island.  After the war he was enabled by the GI Bill to study at the University of Edinburgh where he received his PhD and so much more. On his return to the States, he was called to serve as pastor of two churches in upstate NY, Wadervilet First  Presbyterian from 1948 to 1951 and the State Street Presbyterian in Schenectady from 1951 to 1958.  He was selected by the Albany Presbytery to be its first General Presbyter from 1958 to 1964.  He was then called by Princeton Theological Seminary to organize and establish its Center for Continuing Education, where he remained until his retirement in 1984.  In retirement he served interim pastorates and as a supply minister for several churches in New Brunswick and Elizabeth Presbyteries and he continued his participation on numerous presbyterary committees.  From 1991 to 1998, Jack led Sunday morning worship services at Pennswood Village and was a pastor to many.
While living in the Princeton area, Jack was active in numerous civic committees including the Family Service Agency and United Way.  He was a member and past president of the Princeton Rotary and he received the Paul Harris Fellow Award.  He was a Rotarian for more than 60 years.
Jack is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Jean Ritchie Cooper and by their four children, Dawn and her husband Mark Rosso, Deborah and her two children, Austin and Larissa Kruesi, John and his two daughters, Sara and Hannah and Ruth and her husband Philip Sawin and their daughter Elizabeth Jean and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday March 15, 2009 at 2 PM at the Miller Chapel of Princeton Theological Seminary, Mercer St., Princeton, NJ.  Memorial contributions in Jack name may be made to the Alzheimers Assoc., Delaware Valley Chapter, 399 Market St., Suite 102, Phila., PA 19106. www.Lifecelebration.com  1-800-GIVNISH