Wilda Frances Quinn Cooper

Wilda Frances Quinn Cooper, of Taylorville, died at 4:45 p.m., on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at the age of 100. She was born May 16, 1922, in Lexington, Illinois, the third child and third daughter of John W. and Bernice Quinn. Her parents were farmers and perhaps had imagined they would receive a baby boy (named William) but were delighted to welcome another girl who they named Wilda. Her two older sisters, Martha Margaret (Ferguson) and Sybil Adele (Howard), preceded her in death.

Wilda somehow inherited the nickname “Billie”, as she was known by most people for her entire life. By the time Wilda was a high school student, the family had settled in Murrayville, Illinois, where her mother died in 1939. She graduated Murrayville High School in 1940 and enrolled as a nursing student at Passavant Memorial Hospital in 1942.

During her nursing school years, she was befriended by another student, a woman in her mid-forties named Bertha Cooper. “Bert” mentioned casually that she had a handsome son, Jim, who was serving in the U.S. Navy. She asked Wilda if she would write to him, assuring Wilda that a letter from her mother’s friend would be very comforting.

A pen-pal relationship ensued. The two met eventually in 1945, following the end of WWII. They were married on April 20, 1946, in Jacksonville, Illinois.

While her husband was finishing his education at Murray State University in Murray Kentucky, the couple welcomed their first child, James Frank Cooper III in 1947.

Their second child, Sallie Quinn, was born in 1949 while the couple lived in Ashland Illinois, where Jim was employed as a mathematics teacher.

The Cooper family moved to Taylorville in 1951 when Jim accepted a job offer from his aunt, Maude Cooper Reed, owner of the Taylorville daily Breeze-Courier newspaper. More children followed; John Robert in 1952, and Marylee in 1956. Her husband became publisher and owner of the newspaper in 1963, following the death of Mrs. Reed.

She had an intense interest in the subject of genealogy, an interest that led her to research the history of both the Quinn and the Cooper families. Wilda used that information to become a devoted member of the local chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).

Her friend and mentor, Martha Zimmerman, provided the following history of Wilda’s involvement in the organization. Thank you, Martha.

Wilda Quinn Cooper

A Fifty-year member of Peter Meyer Chapter NSDAR, joining in November 1972, Mrs. Cooper traced her lineage to five patriots of the American Revolution.

She served the chapter as Regent, Registrar and as Corresponding Secretary.  She was elected Honorary Chapter Regent in recognition of her devoted service to both the chapter and the Illinois State Organization.  She served as chapter delegate to NSDAR Continental Congress in Washington, D. C.  She graciously entertained both chapter and state DAR events in her home.

Her service to the State Organization was most notably as Editor of the Illinois DAR News. She faithfully compiled and edited four issues each year for more than 25 years.

Other lineage societies in which she held membership were Chapter XII Colonial Dames of America, National Society Colonial Daughters of the Seventeenth Century, and Sangamon River Chapter of US Daughters of 1812.

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Her interest in genealogy also sparked a writing career as an officer and employee of the Breeze-Courier. She assembled a weekly column called “Genealogical Sketches of Christian County” in which she highlighted many events of historical significance to local residents. Her column appeared in the Sunday editions of the newspaper throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s.

Wilda also loved the game of Contract Bridge, playing in as many as eight bridge clubs at one time. After the deaths of many bridge partners, including her husband, she still played the game with her children, all of whom were somewhat proficient as players. But they were not as good as their mother, who taught them all to enjoy the game.

She died peacefully, surrounded by her family members. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Sallie Cooper Traynor, in 2021. Wilda is survived by three children, James Frank (Shirley), John Robert, and Marylee Cooper (Ed Downs); son-in-law, Lance Traynor; five grandchildren, Jemma Cooper Elliot, Murray Cooper, Andrew Lasswell, Owen Lasswell and Nancy Lasswell Brooks; and six great grandchildren, Kaia Elliot, Dakota Cooper, William Cooper, Landyn Cooper, Lucille Brooks, and June Brooks.

Visitation & Memorial Ceremony: The family will receive friends from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 27, 2023, at Shafer-Perfetti & Assalley Funeral Home in Taylorville.  A memorial ceremony will follow the visitation at 3:00 p.m. with Pastor Becky Lembke officiating.

A private burial will be held at Buckhart-Oak Hill Cemetery in Cooper Township.

Memorial contributions may be made to: First United Methodist Church for the Cornerstone 2 Building Fund, 200 W. Walnut Street, Taylorville, IL 62568.

Please visit www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com to share memories of Wilda, or to offer condolences to her family.