John K. Cooper

Dr. John Kay Cooper, 88, passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2022. He was surrounded by his loving wife of 63 years Helen Colomb Cooper, his children, and grandchildren.

The only child of George Kay Cooper and Henrietta Deitsch Cooper, he was born March 15, 1933, and was a life-long resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Intelligent from birth, John Cooper graduated at the age of 16 from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge in 1949. He then went on to excel at college when he arrived at Louisiana State University and graduated in three years in 1952. His academic excellence, love for animals and science led him to the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine where he graduated in 1956, at the tender age of 23. After college, he moved home to Baton Rouge and worked as a veterinarian with Dr. Heflin on Acadian Thruway. On June 7, 1958, he married the love of his life, Helen Colomb Cooper. They settled down and had five children over the next decade. He and Helen started their own veterinarian practice in 1965, The Sherwood Forest Animal Hospital. In the beginning they raised a family and worked hard to establish the foundation for what would be an over 65-year career. Dr. Cooper loved his profession, but also loved his family. They also had his love for animals as many of his children worked with him during his career. Over the years, he became one of the most prominent veterinarians in the city. Not only did he treat and save the community’s pets, but he was a mentor to so many college, pre-vet and veterinary students. He was always a steady mentor to new veterinarians, teaching them the skills they would need to navigate the profession.  He was known for his soft-spoken demeanor and his steady guidance. His love of science, animals, and the profession enabled him to open many clinics all over Baton Rouge and surrounding areas over his career.  It was not uncommon for clients to spend time talking with him at the clinic, his gentle and kind demeanor always present. Dr. Cooper was a pillar in the community serving on many boards and helping many charities throughout his life. In 1982 he was president of the Louisiana Veterinary Medicine Association. “Good Johnny” is what he was known as by close friends and family. He was simply just a good and honorable man who loved family, friends, and his community. There was nothing he loved more than friends stopping by the house just to visit. Their home was open to everyone at any time. He loved good stimulating conversation and was extremely knowledgeable on so many topics. Most known to family and friends were their Friday night dinners or birthday dinners. He and Helen were known to host events for friends and family at their home for parties, wedding receptions, engagements, and all types of parties. Johnny was also an avid antique collector and over his lifetime amassed a very eclectic collection. He took such pride in his collection and wanted to maintain it for future generations to appreciate. His family would sometimes not quite appreciate the pieces that he loved and would coin them “old ugly” and lovingly tease him about things he would find and bring home; but that would not deter him from continuing his hobby. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to have a good time.  He was a great dancer – it was not unusual at events that you would see him dancing with his family, especially his daughters and granddaughters. Dr. Johnny Cooper will be missed by so many.  There aren’t enough adjectives to describe all that he was to his family and friends. He was calm, kind, intelligent, interesting, funny, honorable and steady. He was “Good Johnny”!

He is preceded in death by his parents George Kay Cooper and Henrietta Deitsch Cooper and his beloved daughter Michelle Ann Cooper.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Helen Colomb Cooper; Children Renee Cooper LaTulippe and husband Denis LaTulippe; Karin Cooper Lee and husband Kenneth Lee; John Cooper II and his wife Jean Ann Cooper; and Chad Cooper, all who reside in Baton Rouge. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Kenneth Lee, Jr. and wife Tiffany Lee; Kortney Lee Roy and husband Seth Roy; Paige Cooper and fiancé Kade Fouts; Anna Cooper, and Mark LaTulippe; and three great-grandchildren, Theodore Lee, William Cooper Fouts, and Remington Lee.

Visitation will be at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 11441 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70815, Thursday, January 20, 2022, 9:30 am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 am. Interment to follow in Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

Pallbearers will be Kenneth Lee, Sr., Kenneth Lee, Jr., Denis LaTulippe, Mark LaTulippe, Seth Roy, and Kade Fouts.  Mark Creech will be an honorary Pallbearer.

The family suggests  flowers, or donations to Catholic High at https://www.catholichigh.org/giving/memorial-gifts, or at Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences by contacting the TAMU Foundation at (800) 392-3310, (979) 845-8161, by email: lharris@txamfoundation.com, or give online at https://www.txamfoundation.com/give.aspx.

Please visit www.resthavenbatonrouge.com to sign the guestbook.