Doyle Ray Cooper

Doyle Ray Cooper passed away Saturday, December 14th, 2024 in McAlester, Oklahoma at the age of 81.

Doyle was born October 27, 1943, to Floyd Ellis Cooper and Ollie, better known as Cricket, (Horton) Cooper. Doyle was born during the time his dad completed Army boot camp in Nebraska. He was a few months old when his dad saw him for the first time. Later,

Doyle’s mom and her niece, Lorene Sliger, lived together with their newborns, Doyle and Roy D, while their fathers served overseas during World War II.

Upon returning from the war, Doyle’s father served in several small towns as the local Baptist minister. As a result, Doyle attended quite a few different schools beginning his public education at Stonewall, followed by Rosedale, Calvin, Byng, Lindsay, and then graduated as valedictorian from Atwood High School in 1961. He completed pharmacy prerequisites at East Central University in Ada before attending Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford where he received his Pharmacy degree in 1967. He married Carolyn Sue Brown on August 20, 1965.

Perhaps Doyle’s contact with numerous student friends over the course of his schooling gave birth to his extroverted temperament. He was a pleasure to be around and had a winning personality. He was witty and humorous. These traits served him well in his more than twenty years serving the Holdenville community at Cooper Drug and another twenty plus years in the Prague area including V&B Pharmacy, Prague Pharmacy and Prague Hospital. In his spare time, he relished a good golf game and loved out-shooting his younger brother on the trap and skeet range.

Although he was blessed with a beautiful voice, he never sang publicly until later in life. Carolyn made him an elaborate Elvis suit, and he was a superb impersonator of the “King of Rock and Roll.” He also sang many specials in church and at funerals and was an active member of the church choir. In addition, he was a wonderful Christian man and served as a deacon both in the Holdenville and Prague First Baptist Churches.

Doyle is preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law Fred Brown Jr., Leon Moore, and Alton “Fat” Stafford; and sister-in-law Mary Lou Moore.

He is survived by his wife Carolyn; son James “Jim” Cooper and wife April of Sherman, Texas; daughter Deborah Honeycutt and husband Tommy of Stigler, Oklahoma; grandchildren Dylan Sparks of Tulsa, Beau Sparks of Oklahoma City, Caty Thomas and husband Matthew of Florence, Arizona, Kimberlin Honeycutt of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, Kara Lin Waters and husband Christian of Broken Arrow, and John Honeycutt and wife Rachel of Siloam Springs, Arkansas; greatgrandchildren Avonlea, Eloise, Ezra, and Alexander Thomas, and Baby Boy Waters on the way; brother Gary Cooper and wife Jenny of Stratford; and sister-inlaw Sallie Stafford of Holdenville. Doyle is survived by numerous other relatives and friends.

Viewing will be 9:00am to 7:00pm, Thursday, December19th, at Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home. Family will greet guest from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Funeral service will be 2:00 pm, Friday, December 20th, at Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Tim Emmons officiating assisted by Gary Cooper and Tommy Honeycutt. Interment will follow at Atwood Cemetery, Atwood, Oklahoma.

Pallbearers are Dylan Sparks, Beau Sparks, John Honeycutt, Matthew Thomas, Christian Waters, Brian Cooper, and Alan Stafford. Honorary pallbearers are Jeff Ledbetter, Donald Winn, Bill Robinson, Gerry Simpson, Frank Aylor, Roy Grissom, and Gary Crain.

The family is grateful to the staff at Belfair of McAlester for their care of Doyle over the past 22 months.

The family requests in lieu of flowers donations be made to the First Baptist Church building fund in Prague, 1500 Bluebell Road, Prague, OK 74864.