Louise JoAnn Cooper

Mrs. JoAnn Cooper, age 89, passed away Oct. 25, 2025 in Colville, Washington. JoAnn was born May 12, 1936 in Palouse, Wash., to Erwin and Miriam Chase.

At age 13, she and her family moved to Minnesota. She would meet the love of her life, David Alan Cooper. The two would marry in 1955. David was in the United States Navy. The couple would move several times before settling in the Kent, Wash., area. They would make their last move in 1991, to Colville where they built their home. She and David would be married 55 years when David passed away on September 24, 2010.

If there is one word that describes JoAnn – it would be “love.” She epitomized love. JoAnn loved to serve others in as many ways as she could. She had a soft spot in her heart for the down trodden. She would rescue any animal that was maimed, abandoned, injured, or sickly. She watched a baby horse being born. The horse was born with a humpback. The owner was about to put it down. She stepped in and refused to allow him to do so. And then, scooped up the colt and took it home. It didn’t matter what animal, reptile, vermin. She had to help it somehow. And with children, she was even more compelled to serve, rescue, and love. After birthing two children of her own, she and David began taking in foster children. Over the course of several years, their family grew from two to 10. She loved them all 150% and more. Even with her large family, JoAnn would welcome foster children to provide respite to the foster parents. Often a need arose for a foster parent or someone to care for a child for a day or two. JoAnn welcomed them all.

Over the years, the family would load up into the milk truck camper and take a trip to visit relatives in Minnesota every summer. Inevitably, there would be several breakdowns along the way. Their parents would pack as many possible “fixes” before leaving in preparation for the inevitable.Always frugal and always able to fix things on the fly, kept them moving. David was a master at fixing things and JoAnn was his biggest helper!

JoAnn was a very frugal. She was famous for making her money stretch. JoAnn was known for “making the buffalo squeal”

Amid caring for her family and the numerous critters she took in, JoAnn loved to garden. She found great comfort in growing beautiful flowers and vegetables. Being an introvert, the garden proved to be JoAnn’s place to rejuvenate and find solace. It also proved to be an essential when feeding her large family.

JoAnn is preceded in death by her parents, husband David, daughter Dody Truesdale and son, Micah a.k.a. Scooter. She is survived by her children: Dave, Aaron, Tim, Josh, Chris, and Tony; daughters: Kim, Bobbi, and Jayme; 37 grandchildren and a plethora of great-grandchildren.

An open viewing is scheduled at the Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory for Nov. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Nov. 7, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. A memorial service and celebration of life is scheduled for Nov. 7, at 11 a.m. at the Free Methodist Church of Colville, Wash., with a luncheon to follow. Danekas Funeral Chapel & Crematory have been entrusted with his care. Please visit the online memorial website and sign his guestbook at danekasfuneralchapel.com.