Bertha L. Cooper

Bertha Louise Braithwaite Cooper, age 92, of Schenectady, NY, passed away on Monday, December 22, 2014, peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on January 18, 1922 in Far Rockaway, New York to Estelle Bertha Louise (Nassau, Bahamas) and James Berisford Braithwaite (St. Philip, Barbados).
Bertha graduated from high school in Nassau Bahamas. She later married Edgar L. Cooper and together they raised their family in Inkster, Michigan, Corona New York and West Babylon, New York. After raising her family, she attended and graduated from Wilson Technological Center as a Licensed Practical Nurse. After a career at Little Flower Nursing Home, she and Edgar retired to Schenectady, New York to be close to their four children. She then became a member of Friendship Baptist Church. Bertha was also a professional dressmaker, an expert knitter and an avid quilter. She loved children and was an advocate of her children working together. She always had a friendly smile, enjoyed comedy and music and was still dancing up until about month prior to her death.

Mrs. Cooper is survived by her three daughters, Omoye (Winifred) Cooper, Audrey (Major) Capers and Victoria Lynn Cooper, her son, James Edgar (Lashelle) Cooper, all of Schenectady, NY, her stepdaughter, Sheila (Charles) Beneby of Florida, and cousins Ena Callendar (England), Vernanda Brathwaite (Florida), Vernelda Gollop and Cleviston Brathwaite (Louisiana) and Linda Strachan (Bahamas). She is also survived by grandchildren, Kwabena (Nohelani Etienne) Cooper, Kofi (Nisha Thomas) Cooper, Danielle (Samuel) Etienne, Major Ezetus Capers, Travis Ellis, Christina Cooper, Alexander Cooper, Trinity Cooper, Dashawn Jones, Yasmina Warren, Shaheem Ballard, Barron (Angela) Adderley, Sean (Melissa) Adderley and Chamarla Beneby; and great grandchildren; Kwesi, Sanaa, Nailah, Kandahse, Anaya, Afia, Michelle, Samya, Bakari, Bohan, Zoe, Koi, Ace, Christian and Giovanni. She is further survived by nieces, Donna Braithwaite, Deanna Quinn, Estelle Jean Albury, Constance Benton, Keron Byer, Sheila Tull, and Juann Brathwaite and nephews, Donald Braithwaite, Bernard Braithwaite, Christopher Tull, Maggie Brathwaite, Godfrey Tull and Carlton Tull. She is also survived by sisters-in-law, Franceta Cooper (Florida), Victoria Rolle (Bahamas), Morlie Kemp (Bahamas), Catherine Cooper (Bahamas) and Lurlean Cooper (Bahamas), brothers-in-law, Thomas Cooper (Bahamas), Salathial Cooper (Bahamas) and Nehemiah Cooper (Bahamas) and many other relatives and many friends. She was preceded in death by her devoted husband Edgar L. Cooper, sisters, Anna Roker, Ruby Albury and Beatrice Clark, brothers, Bernard Roker, James Braithwaite, Edward Braithwaite and Donald Braithwaite and stepdaughter, Andrea Adderley.
A special thanks to her caregivers Glory Umoh, Mona Singh, Sharon Lee and Virginia Wilson and the VNSNY Palliative Care Team.
Her viewing will be held on Monday, December 29, 2014 at Friendship Baptist Church (Union Street, Schenectady) beginning at 9 AM, followed by her funeral service at 11 AM.
Interment at Memory Gardens, Colonie, NY.