James Charles Cooper

James Charles Cooper, 73, of Demorest, formerly of Valdosta, died on Monday, June 13, 2005, at Emory university Hospital in Atlanta. He was the son of the late James Ellis and Mabel West Cooper of Brooks County.

Survivors are his wife Jean Cooper of Demorest; three daughters and their husbands, Debbie and Ray Poe, Kathy and James Bonner, and Lisa and Bob Lee all of Valdosta; one son and his wife Chuck and Jennifer Cooper of Sylvester; two step-daughters Kimberly and Ray Robertson of Blacksburg, VA and Jennifer and David Price of Charlotte, NC. Grandchildren are Chris and Amy Yarbrough, Jason Yarbrough, Blake
Bonner, Ben Bonner, Coleman Miley all of Valdosta; Matthew Cooper and Rebekah Cooper of Sylvester; Christian Robertson, Parker Robertson and Ashley Robertson of Blacksburg, VA.

Also surviving are four sisters, Catherine Adams, Lenelle and Julian Shierling, Laura and Charlie Flythe, and Carol and Billy Folsom all of Valdosta; and two brothers Bernard and Edna Cooper of Marietta and Wayne
and Gail Cooper of Hahira. He is also survived by two sisters-in-law and their husbands, Cathy and George Luckett of Memphis, TN and Judy and Pete Adams of Banks, AR and one brother-in-law and his wife Charles and Kay McEwen of Dyer, TN. A number of nieces and nephews also survive. He was preceded in death by a beloved brother-in-law and mentor, Carlton Adams.

Cooper, better known by many former basketball players as “Coach,” touched the lives of numerous young people throughout Georgia. During a super successful career, he coached basketball both on the high school
and college levels. During the 2005 season he was honored by the Great South Athletic Conference as the Coach of the Year after winning over 1, 000 games during a career that spanned forty-eight years.

After graduating from Morven High School, he earned Bachelor and Master Degrees from Georgia Southern University. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict.

He coached at Morven High School and later moved to Brooks County High and on to Live Oak, FL. In 1968 he moved to Lowndes High School where his girls’ basketball teams won state titles for four consecutive years. Following an outstanding stint at Lowndes High, he became women’s coach at Valdosta State University where he took his team to the NCAA Final Four.

After being retired from Valdosta State University for two years, he took the helm of the womens’ basketball program at Piedmont College in Demorest where he remained until his illness and death in 2005.


Cooper leaves a legacy of outstanding professionalism, enviable success on the court, and valuable lessons about life. He received numerous awards and recognition throughout his career with the most outstanding being the naming of the facility at Lowndes High School as The Charles Cooper Gymnasium.

Funeral services for James Charles Cooper will be on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 2 PM at Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta. He will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Dr. Bill
Cashion, senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church where Cooper was a member and Rev. Tommy Bussey, pastor of First Baptist Church, Pinetta, FL will officiate. Interment will follow in McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive guests at Carson McLane Funeral Home on Thursday, June 16 from 6-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Valdosta. Condolences to the family may be conveyed on the obituary page at mclanefuneralservices.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home


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