Obituary of Roy Seymour Cooley

Reston, VA - Roy S. Cooley, 91, Reston, VA, passed away on Friday, August 23, 2013. He was born March 15, 1922 in Lorain, OH and lived in Elyria, Westlake, Wellington, Berea, Kent, and Milan, OH and Reston, VA. He graduated from Wellington High School, class of 1940. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August 1940 and was honorably discharged as a Chief Pharmacist Mate and WWII veteran in August 1946. He married Patricia Hopkins of Wellington, OH on March 10, 1946, and with her support and encouragement he majored in Business and Economics at Baldwin Wallace College, and graduated with a degree in Education from Kent State University in 1951. His civilian career was in the personnel/human resources field; 24 years with NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland and Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, OH; and six years at the Sterling Foundry Company in Wellington, OH. He was successively a member of, and served in many capacities in the Baptist Church, Elyria, Congregational Churches in Berea and Wellington, Presbyterian Churches in Milan, OH and Herndon, VA. He was a member of the Lorain County Industrial Associations and member and President of the Lorain County Industrial Safety Association; Chairman of a Citizen's "Save the Big Trees" committee in Wellington; Member and President of the Lorain County Tuberculosis and Health Association; Member and President of the Erie County Kelly Island 4-H Camp Board; 17 year board member of the Edison Birthplace Association; 23 year member of the Milan Zoning Board, a member of the U.S. Navy Patrol Craft Sailor's Association; a plank owner of the U.S.S. Wildwood (PC-1181); member and officer in the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE); a member of the Milan Rotary Club since 1984; Member of the Stein Hospice volunteer teams for Home Care and Bereavement, and was instrumental in establishing and serving as a facilitator of a support group for Men-in-Grief. He is survived by his daughter, Joan Gillard and her husband David Gillard, of Herndon, VA; two grandsons, Nathan and Steven; one great-granddaughter, Dorothy; one sister, Mrs. James (Lillian) Collier; and 16 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Patricia (Hopkins) in 1992; brother Clyde Cooley; sister Ruth Dohanos Barchfeld, one niece Barbara Hopkins Prather, his parents Seymour and Gladys (Palmer) Cooley and two foster children Bobby & Helena. A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church 651 Dranesville Rd Herndon, VA 20170 on Wednesday Sept. 4th at 4:00pm Funeral services will be held at the First Congregational United Church of Christ 140 S. Main St. Wellington, Ohio 44090 on Saturday Sept. 7th at 10:30am. Burial will take place at Greenwood Cemetary, followed by a reception at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to: First Congregational United Church of Christ 140 S. Main St. Wellington, Ohio 44090 Or to the charity of your choice