Martise Cooper

C. Martise Cooper, 82, of Austin, TX, passed away after a life-long battle with pulmonary disease on March 9, 2023.

Martise entered the world in Alva, Oklahoma as the third of five children of Vivian and Carson Conaway. She grew up in Winfield, Kansas, graduating from Winfield High School in 1958.

In 1961 Martise spent memorable fall studying in Washington, D.C. as the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded. She returned to Winfield to graduate from Southwestern College in 1962. Her service as yearbook editor included taking photographs from a crop duster, a harrowing experience she recalled whenever she flew.

While attending Southwestern, Martise fell in love with Garrett J. Cooper, of Grand Junction, Colorado. They often met to discuss books over coffee in a shop across the street from the office supply store where she worked. On September 2, 1962, they married, and the young couple moved to Denver, Colorado. They struggled with Martise’s illness through much of the 1960s.

In December 1967, Martise gave birth to her first son, Mark. A second son, Aaron followed in 1972. The family relocated to Littleton, Colorado where, in 1978-79, Martise chaired the Wilder Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association.

In the early 1980s Martise completed her Master of Library Science at Denver University. She worked as a professional librarian for the Jefferson County, Colorado libraries; the children’s library of the Colorado Mental Health Hospital at Fort Logan; and the Health Sciences Library of Colorado University. She especially enjoyed shepherding doctors through the transition from print resources to online databases.

In 1997, Martise’s health led the Coopers to seek a lower altitude. They relocated first to Austin and then, in 2005, to San Marcos, Texas. A lover of classical music and an accomplished player of the piano, viola, and harp, Martise enjoyed volunteering for the Austin Symphony and for KMFA radio. In San Macros, she found community with her quilting bee and helped to organize its success. In addition to music and quilting, she thrived on cooking, gardening, making puzzles, and supporting others.

Martise is survived by her husband Garrett, her sons Mark and Aaron, and her sisters Carolyn and Janette. Her older brother, Clifford predeceased her. Her sister Patricia Rae died in infancy.

A Time to Honor and Remember Martise Cooper will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, May 6 at the Price Center in San Marcos, Texas.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to KMFA and Hospice Austin (Christopher House).