Nancy Lou Hallock Cooper

Nancy Lou Hallock Cooper passed away November 8, 2024 due to complications of lung cancer.

Nancy was born on April 20, 1936 in Springfield,  MA to Howard and Barbara (Corliss) Hallock.  As a child, Nancy spent every summer in her beloved Piermont, NH where she and her brothers “helped” the local farmer with his chores, including riding in the truck with the milk cans every morning.  She enjoyed swimming in the local brooks, picking berries, going to the nearby library, visiting with cousins, and playing croquet every evening.  As she grew older, she spent time as a camper and then a camp counselor, teaching swimming, canoeing, and archery.  One summer, while in college, she worked in a theater on Cape Cod where she taught creative dramatics in the morning and was the sound effects manager for the plays.

Nancy graduated from Agawam, MA high in 1954 and then earned her BS in Early Childhood education from Wheelock College.  In 1958, she moved to Winnetka, IL with friends to start a job teaching 3rd grade. After raising four children, she resumed her education at UW-Whitewater, graduating in 1980 with a MS in Communicative Disorders.  She then worked as a speech therapist in Cambridge, WI before transferring to the Whitewater School District for her final 16 years.

On August 12, 1961, Nancy married Rollin Cooper of Edgerton, WI.  They met in a church choir and continued to share a love of music and singing throughout their married life.  Like her own mother, she loved to harmonize.  She remembers Elijah and the Mesiah as her favorite performances.  Nancy and Rollie also shared a love of sports, following the Whippets, Warhawks, Badgers, Packers and especially, any event with a competing or performing child or grandchild. They were active In the Whippet Booster Club, hosting barn parties after football games or meeting with friends at the Red Lantern following other events. In 2011, Rollie and Nancy were inducted into the UW-Whitewater Hall of Fame, with the Distinguished Service Award, for their support of Warhawk Athletics.

Along with Rollie, Nancy harvested and sold organic produce for Cooper’s Natural Foods and managed the banking.  They frequently donated produce to the Food Pantry and Community Space.  Other volunteer work included Friends of the Library, Friends of Fairhaven and mini mart work, AAUW, and the UWW Hall of Fame Committee.

She fondly remembers summer camping throughout Wisconsin for Rollie’s work or journeying to New England to visit relatives.  Later in life, Nancy and Rollie enjoyed guided trips and cruises around the United States and the globe.  She enjoyed baking apple pies, strawberry shortcake, or Oreo ice cream cake, a project she loved to share with grandchildren.  As her family was growing up, a highlight of each summer was attending Moon Beach, a family church camp in Northern Wisconsin where Rollie and Nancy were on the programming staff.

In recent years, Nancy shared meaningful relationships with her CCS and Whitewater Aquatic Center friends and the wonderful residents and staff of Fairhaven.  Nancy is survived by 4 children: Ben (Karla Hebert) of Munising, MI; Tim (Pam Wilson) of Green Bay; Bill (Lisa Borzynski) of Eagle: and Amy (former spouse Greg) Schumacher of Anchorage, AK.  She has 12 grandchildren: Nicole (Jon) Pacl, Sharon (Brandon) Hollingshead, Andy (Hannah Zink) and Rachel Cooper; Matthew (Samantha Slattery), Erin (fiance Ryan Thurk), Audrey, and Emma Cooper; Quinn Cooper; and Gus, Rudy and Heidi Schumacher.  Her great-grandchildren include Ellison Pacl and Brooke, Ben and Aubree Hollingshead.  Also surviving are many nieces, nephews and cousins as well as brothers Peter (Jill) Hallock, Andy Hallock, and John (Chris) Hallock.  Nancy was preceded in death by her husband, Rollie, parents Howard and Barbara (Corliss) Hallock, sisters in law Carol and Jan Hallock and in laws Rose Marie (Doug) Burdick, Lucille (Speed) Bartz, and Allen (Maxine) Cooper.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 23rd at 841 Brewhouse, Whitewater, beginning at 1:00pm. At 1:30, a short program will be held with appetizers and refreshments following.  A private service for Fairhaven residents and immediate family will take place at Fairhaven Senior Services with Pastor Luke Bocher.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested for the UWW Foundation-Athletics and Fairhaven Senior Services.  Nitardy Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.  Online condolences may be made at www.nitardyfuneralhome.com<http://www.nitardyfuneralhome.com/>