Robert "Bobby" Cooper

Robert Nelson “Bobby” Cooper October 25, 1949 – January 11, 2025 Robert Nelson “Bobby” Cooper, age 75, of Southside, AL went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, January 11th, 2025. A memorial graveside will be held at 12 p.m. on January 17, 2025 at Williams Southside Memorial Park with Brian Ware officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, January 14, 2025 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Williams Southside Funeral Home and Memorial Park. Bobby was born on October 25th, 1949, to the late Neil and Dollie Cooper in Gadsden, AL. Bobby graduated from Emma Sansom High School in 1968 where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He went on to play basketball at Gadsden State before joining the Navy in 1969. He married Yvonne Snyder in 1970. He spent a year and a half at sea aboard his assignment to the U.S.S. Bordelon out of Charleston, S.C. where he received the Golden Shellback on March 22, 1970, and spent time in the Middle East, Cuba, and South America. He later returned to Gadsden State to play baseball. He continued his love for sports by working for five years as a sports columnist for The Gadsden Times. In 1978, Bobby left Gadsden State to take a full-time job at Republic/Gulf States Steel to support his wife Yvonne and their two children Bradlie and Patrick. He continued his career there for 25 years up until its closing. Bobby and Yvonne were happily married for 49 years up until her passing in 2020. Throughout his life, he coached youth baseball, and umpired youth, high school, SEC, Conference USA, and Babe Ruth baseball for over 40 years. Bobby’s favorite hobbies were golfing, watching Alabama football, and Atlanta Braves baseball. In 2011, Bobby defeated stage 4 throat cancer and did not let that stop him from living life to the fullest and continued to be the voice of Gadsden State Athletics for a collective 43 years. Bobby is preceded in death by his loving wife Yvonne Cooper; his parents Neil and Dollie Cooper; in laws Hubert and Bonnie Snyder. He is survived by his daughter Bradlie (Brian) Ware and son Patrick (Hayley) Cooper; grandchildren Derrick (Kelsey) Bowling, Phoenix Cooper, Lyla Weaver, Brianna (Scott) Holderfield, Austin (Brittany) Ware, Tanner Ware. Great grandchildren Crimson, Gavin, and Lane Holderfield, Gabrielle and Londyn Ware, Kirsten (Cyle) Butenhoff, Abby (Drake) Stewart. His loving brother Terry (Sheila) Cooper; nephew Terry Cooper Jr; niece Andrea (Walker) Cook; great niece and nephews Cooper, Livy Kate, Parker Cook, and Bella Williams; brother-in-law Johnny (Wanda) Snyder; nephew Zack (Beth) Snyder; great nephews John and Shepherd Snyder; niece Jessy (Andrew) Hooper; great niece and nephews Colt Smith, Luke and Ellie Hooper; special friend Denise Russell; best friends Ralph Muskett and Hal Davidson. Special thanks from the family to Carol Brodeur for all her love and support for Bobby and the family throughout the years. Also, a special thanks to Bobby’s coworkers at Twin Bridges Golf Course. Honorary pallbearers are Walker, Cooper, and Parker Cook, Terry Cooper Jr, Ralph Muskett, Johnny Bone, Chuck Medders and Stan Cook. “To all Sailors wherever ye may be: and to all mermaids, whales, sea serpents, porpoises, sharks, dolphins, eels, skates, suckers, crabs, lobsters, and all other living things of the sea Greeting: Know ye that on March 22, 1970 in latitude 00000 and longitude 00°00’ there appeared within Our Royal Domain U.S.S. Bordelon and Robert N. Cooper that by virtue of the power invested in me I do hereby command all my subjects to show due honor and respect to him wherever he may be.” -Neptunus Rex

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Robert "Bobby" Cooper

October 25, 1949 - January 11, 2025