Ruth K. Cooper

Ruth Kallenberg Cooper, age 85, of Asheville, NC, died Wednesday morning, May 27, 2009, at Givens Estates Health Care Center. Ruth was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 23, 1923, the daughter of the late John and Grace (Heller) Kallenberg. She grew up in Garden City, Long Island, New York, and graduated from Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio, in 1945, with a BS in elementary education. She raised a family of three children, all of whom remain and thank and bless her. She taught in public schools in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and after completing graduate library science study at Rutgers University organized and managed libraries and media centers in public schools in New Jersey and in Presbyterian churches in New Jersey and North Carolina. All her adult life she was active -- a servant and a leader -- in the church families of the communities in which she lived. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, David K. Cooper (1921-92); her brother, John C. Kallenberg (1928-53); and her grandson, Jeffrey P. Cooper (1982-07). She is survived by son Stanley of Columbus Ohio and son and daughter-in-law Steven and Catherine Cooper of Richmond, Virginia, a daughter and son-in-law Joan Cooper and Lew Kraus of Asheville; sister, Doris Lambert of Olney, MD; grandchildren David, Matthew, Thomas and Alivia Cooper, Joyce Brown, Scott Fallen and Kathryn Fallen Cox; four nieces; and many dear friends -- from those who have known her for nearly 70 years to those whom she first met in very recent times. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 2nd, in the Norma Pulliam Chapel of Givens Estates Retirement Center, 400 Wesley Drive, Asheville. The family will receive friends following the service. Her ashes will be interred privately at Warren Wilson Cemetery, Swannanoa, NC. Those who wish may make contributions in Ruth's memory to the First Presbyterian Church of Asheville, 40 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 (to be used in the church library) or to the charity of their choice.