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Obituary: Billie Jo Cooper

January 4, 1940 - December 8, 2021
Billie Jo Cooper
January 4, 1940 - December 8, 2021
Posted at 1:59 PM, Dec 23, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-23 15:59:39-05

Billie Jo Cooper earned her angel wings on December 8, 2021, after battling Parkinson’s Disease. Gerald, her husband of 65 years, was by her side. Billie Jo was born in Great Falls on January 4, 1940, to Vaino and Lois Kivi, the youngest of six girls. She attended Great Falls public schools. In 1956 she married Gerald Cooper and together they had nine children. She was a stay-at-home working mother who was always there for her family. She was the bookkeeper for Cooper Construction, the family’s masonry business, for over 50 years.

The Ya-Ya Sisters Lunch Bunch brought Billie Jo lots of joy, as did her monthly card group. She took up golf, and along with Jerry she enjoyed many golf trips with friends. They travelled to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and their most momentous trip to Rome. Billie Jo’s greatest joy was spending time with family and friends. She was a beautiful soul and was loved by many.

Billie Jo is survived by her husband, Gerald; children, Mark (Val), Ron (Debby), Carmen Thorsen (Ed Bumgarner), Jeri Lynn (John) Phillips, John (Julie), Tim (Sandi), and Scott; 18 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Frieda Terry and Joan Bradley.

To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.