Obituary of Iris Elaine Hodges Cooper

Iris Elaine (Taylor) Hodges Cooper was born November 11, 1920 in Tulsa, OK and passed from this life January 23, 2018 in Arlington, TX at the age of 97.

Elaine lived in Tulsa attending through High School at Central High, then attending the University of Tulsa, majoring in Music. She was an accomplished musician and worked as a Concert Pianist and Accompanist for many soloists. January 30, 1941 she married John H. Hodges, Jr. During World War II she moved to Seattle to be closer to John who was deployed to the Aleutian Islands Pacific Campaign. After the war they lived in Tampa, then Fresno, then moved to New York City for a short time.

In 1947 they moved to Caracas, Venezuela with their daughter Diane, while John worked as the head Cartographer for Atlantic Richfield Oil Company. Brian was born in 1949 while back in Tulsa, then Nelson was born in Caracas in 1954. The family moved back to Tulsa in August 1957 where they remained until 1969 when Elaine and her family moved to St. Louis. While in St. Louis she worked as a Sales Associate at Jaccards Jewelry. In 1974 Elaine and John moved to Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas where they enjoyed their time together. Her husband, John, passed away in February of 1977 and Elaine moved to Tulsa where took care of her mother, until her mother’s passing, and she worked as a Medical Technician/Assistant for a Doctor for several years. She married Paul E. Cooper in 1988 and lived in Tulsa with Paul until his passing in 1994.

In 1998 Elaine moved to Arlington, Texas so her family could help take care of her until her passing. She continued to enjoy and play Piano until her last week.

Iris was preceded in death by her parents, Pleas McKinley Taylor and Jurelia Elizabeth (Keadle) Taylor; her brothers, Jennings Preston Taylor and Vestal Sylvan Taylor (infant), her sister Rowena Aldred Taylor (infant); her husbands John H. Hodges, Jr., and Paul E. Cooper; and her daughter, Diane (Hodges) Bosche.  She is survived by her sons and their wives, Brian & Cheri Hodges and Nelson & Sandra Hodges; her grandchildren, John Jackson Hodges, Gayle Elizabeth Orr and Christopher Evan Hodges; and her great grandchildren, Jackson Dean Hodges, Reagan Danielle Hodges and Evan Rafael Hodges.

She will lie in state from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday January 28, 2018 with family receiving friends from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  A graveside service will be held 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 29, 2018 at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, OK.

Ninde Brookside, 918.742.5556, ninde.com