Catherine Cooper

Catherine, known to loved ones as Kitty, was born to Stella and Thomas Tomlinson on January 26, 1906. They lived in Ludlow, Mississippi. She grew up in Mississippi, where her father was a Baptist minister. During her early teens, along with an older sister and a younger brother, the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas where her father pursued pastoral studies. She and her sister, D'Voe, enrolled in the Academy at what was then Baylor College in Belton, Texas. Kitty's piano lessons continued there and later when she enrolled in Hillman College in Clinton, Mississippi. She also studied music at Northwestern University in Chicago before returning to teach school at McGee, Mississippi.



In April of 1926, she married W. L. Cooper. They moved to Mobile, Alabama where W.L. served in the Dauphin Way Baptist Church and where their first daughter, Mary Beth, was born. Some time later, they moved to Louisville, Kentucky where W.L. enrolled in theological studies. A son, Bill , was born to them there. When Kitty's husband completed his studies, he accepted the pastorate of a church in Moorhead, Mississippi. While living there a second son, Dave, came into the family. Later, they moved to Montgomery, Alabama where W.L. was pastor of Southside Baptist Church. Another daughter, Ginnie, was added to the family in Montgomery.



In 1939, the family moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina where they served as missionaries for thirty-five years. During those years, W.L. was an administrator and later president of the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Buenos Aires. During their early years in Argentina, Kitty was director of the Seminary Choir and also taught piano. Their third son, Tom, was born during their first trip back to the U.S. in 1944. Kitty and W. L. continued as missionaries in Argentina until 1974. Their devoted service to the Seminary, to the Baptist churches and to their fellow missionaries had a remarkable impact on the Christian vision and commitment of those with whom they worked.



After retirement, the Coopers settled in Waco although on two different occasions they served as replacements for missionaries to Spain who had returned to the U.S. on furlough. After W. L.'s death in 1985, Kitty began singing in the Senior Adult Choir in Waco. The solos she sang with that choir remain cherished memories for those who were present for their concerts.



In 1998, her daughter, Ginnie, became ill with cancer and passed away the following year. This was occasion for deep sorrow for the whole family.



As the years went by, Kitty's body lost much of its vigor. She felt for quite a while that she could manage to live at home. Eventually, however, she concluded this was not feasible and made arrangements to move first to a setting that provided assisted living and then to a nursing home. She passed away Saturday, October 8th. Her daughter Mary Beth and her granddaughter Dorisanne, were with her.



She is survived by four children, twenty-two grandchildren and thirty-three great-grandchildren.



In lieu of flowers the family has requested that contributions be sent to the Kitty Cooper Music Fund at Seventh and James Baptist Church.