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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Gary Walter Cooper
Gary Walter Cooper
Cedar Rapids
Gary Walter Cooper, 82, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on August 31, 2025, in Cedar Rapids. There are no services planned.
Gary was born on April 22, 1943, in South Haven, Michigan. His family soon moved to the Urbana area, where Gary became a star basketball player at Urbana High School.
Gary went on to work as a realtor and gutter installer, but he came to prominence as a longtime bar owner in Cedar Rapids—spanning 40+ years as owner of the Paradise and Coopacabana. He was a talented slow-pitch softball player and notable sponsor of teams throughout the years. He made his name in the bar business, but he left his legacy as a husband, father, and friend. Whether donning his trademark baseball hat, humming a tune, or engaging in conversation over a Miller Lite, “Coop” was one of a kind.
And while his absence leaves a void, the memory of him will fill it with a smile.
For immediate family, he is survived by his wife, Connie; his sister, Linda (J.B.) Surrett; children Melisa Cooper, Gary Cooper, Crystal (Mark) Freitager, and Chad (Heather Bachman) Cooper; and grandchildren Carly, Evan, Calese, Cole, and Caleb.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Maxine; a daughter who died during childbirth; and siblings Judy, Richard, and Sandra.
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