Stacey Avara Cooper

With high school not quite behind her, Stacey married Jim Cooper, a student of Mississippi College from Andalusia, Alabama in May of 1965. She actually received her diploma in the summer of that same year. Her years at CHS were a treasured memory.

Having received her MRS, Stacey was in no hurry to pursue higher education at the time and so embarked eagerly on her journey through life as 1st mate to the Captain of her heart. It wasn't long before the Captain joined the Army and became a lowly Private. The Army enabled them to travel to places they might never have gone. They spent the second year of their marriage stationed in New Jersey, where they lived close enough to walk to the beach of the Atlantic shore. They took trips into New York, Washington, DC, and Canada. The Private gained rank and Uncle Sam sent him to Thailand. This was too close to the war in Vietnam, so Stacey wasn't allowed to go. She returned to Mississippi and got a job with Ma Bell. In those days, long distance calls overseas were rare. Stacey and Jim weren't able to talk frequently but they wrote letters almost daily and sent them "Air Mail," another oddity in today's world. The day finally came when he returned to the States and they moved to Arizona. While out west, they visited the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Grand Canyon. They lived off base in a duplex with a swimming pool. The land was so flat, you could see from one side of the town to the other, yet see majestic mountains on the horizon. Ah, those were the good ole days! When the time came for him to be discharged, however, they were Mississippi bound.

Their first child, a daughter, was born in March of 1969. They will always remember holding her in front of the television to watch the live reports of the first landing on the moon. Almost three years later, their son was born. Both children grew up in Jackson and graduated from Forest Hill High School. Their daughter chose nursing as a career, graduating from the University of MS and continuing with a Masters degree from Gooding Institute in Panama City, FL. She is now a CRNA at University Med Center in Jackson. Their son does automobile body work and has his own shop in the Jackson area. He gave them a grandson who was five in January of 1999.

During the years while the children were growing up, Stacey was employed with Trustmark National Bank, then with Fox Everett, Inc. Jim retired with the rank of Deputy Chief after twenty-three years with the Jackson Fire Department. Stacey moved with him to Panama City, FL, where he served three years as Chief of the Bay County Fire Department. She worked for a CPA and wrote as a correspondent for the Florida Baptist Witness. They moved again in April of 1999 to Palm Coast, FL, when he accepted a position as Chief of Flagler County Fire Services.

Stacey's hobbies include reading, needlework, and scrapbooking. She has always been active in her church and community. Her passion for reading led her to become a church librarian, a post she held for eight years. One of her fondest memories is singing in a gospel trio. Her faith in God compels her to be involved in ministries to share His love by helping others. Her most recent endeavor brought her to Jackson to help build a house in the West Park area, a partnership effort between Habitat for Humanity and Woman's Missionary Union.

With our son and daughter - 2015

50^th Wedding Anniversary