Linda Carol Cooper

of Melbourne, Arkansas

Linda Carol Cooper was born on July 8, 1948 at Batesville, Arkansas to William Jefferson "Jeff" Cooper and Lora Edna Smith Cooper of Twin Creek, Arkansas.  She left this life on March 9, 2026.

A 1966 graduate of Melbourne High School, Linda Earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree and a Master of Science in Education degree from University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas.  She taught elementary school for thirty years.

A member of Boswell Baptist Church, Linda played the piano for the church services since she was in grade school when her father served as song leader.  She served as Church Treasurer and a Sunday School Teacher for the elementary students.

Linda served as the Treasurer for the Vest Cemetery at Boswell and worked with the Cemetery Board of Directors to keep the cemetery maintained.  She along with her brother Bud and sister Mary worked with the Arkansas Historical Preservation group to have the cemetery placed on the National Register of Historical Places.  She did extensive research about people buried in the cemetery and found names for some graves with no tombstones.  She wrote a book titled The Vest Cemetery and Some History of the Boswell Community .

Linda served as Secretary of the Brockwell Gospel Music School and the Izard County Singing Convention.  Jeff Cooper served as the convention president for sixteen years and he sawed the lumber for the construction of the first building in 1947.  He promoted southern gospel music in many ways.  Linda played the piano for Jeff for many years during church services, funerals, singings and revivals.

She served as president of the Melbourne Library Board, Izard County Library Board and President of the White River Regional Library Board.

Linda was a member of several Historical organizations.  She was a member of Izard County Historical Society and served as Publicity Chairman. She and her brother, Bud, did research to document the information that was placed on three Sesquicentennial Civil War Signs placed at Calico Rock, Mount Olive and Wild Haws.  She served as Regent of the Independence County Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution and as Historian of the Arkansas Cameo Club on the State DAR level.  She sang in the State DAR Choir for several years at the state conference.  She was also a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, The Daughters of the War of 1812, The Daughters of the American Colonist, The Arkansas Pioneer Association and the Stone County Historical Society.

Linda enjoyed playing and singing, crocheting, sewing, doing colored pencils drawing and embroidery work.  She collected pretty dishes and old music books.  She loved the hills and the rivers in the Ozark and always enjoyed looking at them. A descendent of the early pioneer, John Lafferty, she was a history enthusiast and acquired a good collection of research materials throughout the years.

Linda is survived by one daughter, Varina Elizabeth Daigle and son in law Justin Daigle; one grandson John David Daigle; one brother W. J. "Bud" Cooper.  She is survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins.  Linda was preceded in death by her parents; Jeff and Lora, sister:  Mary Elizabeth Cooper Miller, grandparents; James Franklin Cooper and Mary Edna Clem Cooper and Sylvester Clarence Smith and Edna Elizabeth Combs Smith.

Visitation and funeral service will be Friday, March 13 at Eddie's Family Funeral Home in Melbourne.  Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m.   Funeral service will begin at 2:00 p.m. with Boyce Johnson officiating.  Burial will follow at Melbourne Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:  Izard County Historical Society, P.O. Box 877, Melbourne, Arkansas 72556.

Vest Cemetery Association of Boswell, 219 West Street, Melbourne, Arkansas 72556.