File:Rev Herbert Austin Cooper, Distinguished Citizen 1983 (1).jpg

Brunswick Distinguished CitizenDistinguished Citizen 1983

The Rev. Herbert Austin Cooper Born: 1911, Died: 1999, Brunswick Brunswick Distinguished CitizenDistinguished Citizen 1983

From Brunswick:  100 Years of Memories (1990)

Rev. H. Austin Cooper has distinguished himself in scouting, in history, and in his career, the ministry. He became an Eagle Scout as a youth and later received the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Palm Awards. Since then he has received the Silver Beaver Award and recognition for fifty years of scouting (now 67) years.) An incurable historian, he has written three books, Two Centuries of Brother’s Valley, Two Centuries of the History of Western District of Pennsylvania, and Church of the Singing Hills.

Find A Grave Name: Rev Herbert Austin Cooper Birth Date: 20 Apr 1911 Birth Place: Brunswick, Frederick County, Maryland, United States of America Death Date: 22 Jan 1999 Death Place: Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland, United States of America Cemetery: Old Brownsville Church of the Brethren Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Brownsville, Washington County, Maryland, United States of America

Father: Herbert Ewan Cooper

Mother: Lillie May Cooper

Spouse: Virginia Almeda Cooper

Obituary The Rev. Herbert Austin Cooper, 87, a prominent local retired minister who was a resident at College View Nursing Center, Frederick, died Friday evening, Jan. 22, at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

He was the husband of Virginia A. Younkins Cooper.

Born April 20, 1911, in Brunswick, he was a son of the late Herbert E. and Lillie Mae Orrison Cooper.

The Rev. Cooper earned his bachelor's of sacred literature from Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago, Ill. He earned his bachelor's from Bridgewater College, and did post-graduate studies at Oriental Institute of Chicago University and Northwestern University.

During his long and distinguished career, he was pastor of Hastings Church of the Brethren, Chicago; Stoney Creek Church of the Brethren, Ohio; Pleasantview and Sharpsburg Church of the Brethren, Burkittsville; Brothers Valley Church of the Brethren, Brotherton, Pa.; Salem Church of the Brethren and Reiman Church of the Brethren, both of Sommerset, Pa.; Barren Ridge Church of the Brethren, Staunton, Va.; Pipe Creek Church of the Brethren, New Windsor; Bush Creek Church of the Brethren, Monrovia; and returned again to Pleasantview Church of the Brethren, Burkittsville, from where he retired.

The Rev. Cooper authored several publications during his career, including "The Centuries of Brothers Valley," 1762 to 1962, and "Brethren Church History," a history of the church in the United States and Canada.

Always active with youth, he was a founding member of Camp Woodbrook, near Mount Airy, and Camp Peniel, Thurmont, and served as camp director for Camp Harmony at Johnstown, Pa., and Camp Bethel, near Natural Chimney, Va., for many years.

During his youth, the Rev. Cooper earned an Eagle Scout in Troup 5, Brunswick, and earned the Silver Beaver Highest Citizen Award. He also served for over 28 years with the Boy Scouts camping program.

He was a member of Frederick Church of the Brethren, served as chaplain of Burkittsville Ruritan Club, served as secretary of the three districts of the Eastern, Middle and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the Church of the Brethren, and for many years, conducted evangelist services for the Church of the Brethren at large.

The Rev. and Mrs. Cooper conducted several tours of the Holy Land in 1975 and 1979.

He served 11 years as chairman for the General Historical Society committee for the Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill., and reorganized the Brunswick Distinguished CitizenDistinguished Citizens and Historical Society of Brunswick in 1983. He helped to organize the reconstruction of Antietam's Dunkard Church in 1962, and also helped with the Sharpsburg-Antietam Observance of the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam during the 1960s.

Surviving in addition to his wife are two sons, Lynn A. Cooper and wife Doris of Myersville, and Larry C. Cooper and wife Alice L. of Landenberg, Pa.; three grandchildren, Laura C. Love, and Michael L. and Douglas M. Cooper; and two great-grandchildren, Ryan and Jessica Cooper.

The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 E. Church St., Frederick.

Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, at Frederick Church of the Brethren, 201 Fairview Ave., Frederick. The Rev. Paul P. Mundey, pastor of the church, will officiate.

Interment will be in Old Brownsville Cemetery, Brownsville.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Frederick Church of the Brethren Building Fund, 201 Fairview Ave., Frederick, Md. 21701. Published Online in The Frederick News-Post on Jan. 25, 1999