Richard T. Cooper. Provided Photos.
There will be a spaghetti dinner Fundraiser on April 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Owego Elks Lodge. The dinner is to benefit the TC AAU “Hawks” travel basketball team and to honor Richard T. Cooper. The donation is $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12.
Richard Cooper graduated from Owego Free Academy (OFA) in 1953. Last Year, on April 27, Cooper’s 80th birthday, Town of Owego Supervisor Donald Castellucci deemed April 27 officially “Richard T. Cooper” day in Owego.
The OFA team touches a red hat prior to a game in honor of Richard T. Cooper.
Cooper or “Deac”, as many called him, held the record for most points scored in a single game and was inducted to the OFA Wall of Fame. Cooper was a huge supporter of his grandchildren and attended all of their sporting events. He especially loved basketball and supported the AAU basketball program that his grandson plays on.
Cooper was also very involved with the community, volunteering for many different groups. He spent 13 years as Treasurer on the board of The Tioga County Arts Council. In addition, he was involved with Owego Little League, Scamps, and coached area youth teams. He received a community service award in 2011 from Glenn A. Warner VFW Post 1371.
Cooper also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After returning home he attended Harpur College and began a 29-year career at IBM.
“You could always find him in the stands with his signature red hat,” said Laura Sage, Cooper’s daughter. Cooper’s grandson, Christian Sage, plays for the travel team as well as on the JV team for OFA.
Owego’s JV coach, Chris Evans, honors Cooper at the games by placing the red hat down and the team walks by it and touches it for luck.
Cooper died last year on July 21 at the age of 80. Cooper and his wife of 59 years, Dorothy Russell Cooper, had three children, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
