Nancy Cooper
Nancy Carol Albert Cooper died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Killington, Vt.
She was born on June 11, 1941, to Virginia (McCandless) and Huber Albert in Butler and was raised in Mount Chestnut. She graduated from Slippery Rock High School in 1959 and Slippery Rock State College in 1962. That same year, she married Robert Cooper in a Christmas themed wedding on Dec. 22. The couple moved to Syracuse, N.Y., where Nancy taught fourth grade for seven years until starting her family. She had four daughters, Beth, Jill, Kristen and Kate and they settled in the suburbs of Fayetteville, N.Y., where all four girls graduated from high school. Nancy embraced motherhood and built her life around her family and circle of friends.
In 1997, Nancy moved to Atlanta, Ga., to be close to her young grandkids. Although she spent over a decade employed as an executive assistant, her purpose was always being Nana to her grandkids. Locally, she enjoyed Sarah, Matthew and Joey but also drove to Florida to visit Zach and Gabe. These were precious years for Nana and she commemorated her time with them with exquisite handmade crafts, collections, Christmas quilts, and books to name a few.
Nancy’s dedication to family continued into another chapter when she returned to Butler to help her 93-year-old mother, who was no longer able to live in her home independently. This act of love turned into a three-year stay, broken up with weekslong visits from her brother, Rodger. During this time, while caregiving, Nancy was able to rekindle old relationships with friends and work on her new passion for genealogy research. She spent countless hours online and in person at the Butler Area Public Library, diving deep into the nine generations of our family roots, taking notes, adding to an expansive excel spreadsheet she created for the sole purpose of posterity.
By 2020, Nancy’s health began to deteriorate and the signs of dementia were becoming more pronounced. For the first time in her life, this strong, selfless, independent woman had to rely on her four daughters. All agreed that a move to Vermont to be closer to Jill and Kristen would be best. After decades in a warm climate and now in Vermont, Nancy was able to experience the nostalgia of a snowy white Christmas while surrounding herself with her Christmas treasures. This move also allowed her to reconnect with her brother, Rodger, who trekked to Vermont with his daughter, Sue, twice each year to celebrate her birthday and Christmas tree trimming. Her greatest love was to be with family for the holidays and special occasions.
Our family would like to thank the compassionate women at The Shard Villa, Addison County Home Health and Hospice and at Vista Senior Living in Vermont for taking care of our mother in her final years. We are grateful for their knowledge, patience, love, and dedication to our mom and others who suffer from this disease.
She is survived by her brother, Rodger Albert of Syracuse, N.Y., and his three children, Valerie (Jim) Lardy of California, Sue Bang of Syracuse and Scott (Christin) Albert of Syracuse; and his 11 grandkids.
She is also survived by her daughters, Beth (Michael) DeMaria of Georgia and their children, Sarah Christine of Utah, Matthew Benjamin of New Mexico and Joseph Michael of Oregon; daughter, Jill (Patrick) Dunn of Vermont and their sons, Zachary Albert of Vermont and Gabriel McCandless of North Carolina; daughter, Kristen Cooper of Vermont; and daughter, Kate Henrys of Florida with her partner, Greg Whitley, and his son, Logan Oliver Whitley
COOPER — Nancy Carol Albert Cooper, who died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, was preceded in death by her parents, Virginia and Huber Albert of Butler, and her remains will be laid to rest with them, at a private family gathering at Greenlawn Burial Estates.
A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Mount Chestnut Presbyterian Church, 727 W. Old Route 422, Butler, with refreshments to follow in the Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Nancy’s name to the Butler Area Public Library, 218 N. McKean St., Butler, PA 16001, www.butlerlibrary.info.
Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.