Edward Newsom Cooper

Edward Newsom Cooper, 96, of Valdosta, died on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at the Langdale Hospice House following a short illess. He was born in Athens, Georgia on August 27, 1913 to the late Warner Rowe and Sarah Lou Newsom Cooper. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Georgia. He worked in the US Forest Service in Mississippi and North Carolina before being commissioned in the United States Army during WW II where he served in the Pacific theater and was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1946, he joined St Regis Paper Company in Fargo, Georgia as a Forester and retired to Valdosta in 1978. He developed the “tuft” method of pine seedling growth in the swamp wetlands of South Georgia and a novel mobile water tanker for combating forest fires. He also appeared on the TV show “Call My Bluff” as the owner of the world’s largest rattlesnake rattle collection. He and his wife had the “Martha and Ed Cooper Forest” named for their donation to the UGA Warnell School of Forestry just outside Fargo. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he enjoyed singing in the choir.

Survivors include his nephews, William D. Smith and his wife Laurel of West Jefferson City, North Carolina, James W. Cooper, Jr. and his wife, Susan of Watkinsville, Georgia, and Christopher G. Cooper of Savannah, Georgia; nieces, Allison Smith, Melissa S. and her husband Joe C. McNeil, Teresa and her husband David T. Nuttall of North Carolina, Mary Lewis and her husband Charles of Georgia and Beth Martin Osteen and her husband Jim of Ohio; grand-nieces, Allison and her husband Robin Burfield, Sara G. and husband Bobby Norris; grand-nephews, James W. Cooper III and his wife Jacqueline, and Alfred R. Smith II and his wife Angela; great-nieces, Katherine Burfield, Madelyn Cooper, Jessica Norris, Victoria Smith, Alexandra Smith, Lauren McNeil, and Elizabeth Nuttall; great-nephews, Daniel T. Nuttall, Stephen Nuttall, Andrew Norris and Matthew Norris and John Osteen. Mr. Cooper was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Martha Smith Cooper; older brother, John Warner Cooper; his younger sister, Mildred Cooper Martin; younger brother, James Weaver Cooper. The family would to express their deep appreciation to Gee Gee Clarkston, Langdale Place and Langdale Hospice, to Jack Hartley and all the Home Instead Caregivers for their love and care of Mr. Cooper.

Services for Edward Newsom Cooper will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2009 in the chapel of the Carson McLane Funeral Home. The burial will follow in the McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church 220 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, Georgia , Hospice of South Georgia, P.O. Box 1727 Valdosta Georgia 31603, or the charity of one’s choice. Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanefuneralservices.com. Carson McLane.




Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602