Sharon Tinsley Cooper

Sharon Tinsley Cooper, 82, of Austin died Sunday, November 17, 2019.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 at Scott’s Funeral Home Chapel in Gatesville.  Interment will follow at Restland Cemetery.  Memorial services in Austin, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church in Austin.

Sharon was born Sept 21, 1937, the youngest of 4 siblings, to the late Oran Tinsley and Dora Passmore Tinsley of Mason, Texas.  A tremendous competitor both on the court and in the classroom, she helped the Punchers be their best. She was graduated valedictorian of Mason High School in1956. In 1958 she received an Associate's degree from Tarleton State College where she was the co-valedictorian. Sharon enrolled at the University of Texas, Austin where she received both a B.A. and M.A. Degree in English with a minor in history. 

In the fall of 1960 Sharon assumed the duties of language arts teacher in Alice, TX where she taught for 2 years. Her time in Alice was formative and looked back on fondly. In the fall of 1962 she became the Special Reading Teacher at Allan Junior High School in Austin where she taught until 1967 at which time she “retired” to raise children.

Sharon was very active in the PTA where she served at the local, city, and district levels. She was the sponsor of the “PTA Day at the Capitol” for three years for her district and was awarded an honorary life membership for her years of service. 

As a young child she enjoyed both reading and gardening and they remained her passions. She also loved to travel. Sharon considered herself a self-taught art historian who realized there was still a wealth of information to be absorbed. She was a member of both the Austin American History Club and Art League II where wrote and presented papers.

Sharon volunteered at the LBJ Library for more than 30 years. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Austin.

She was preceded in death by her husband, B.K. Cooper on August 2, 2000.

Survivors include her sons, Mike Cooper and wife, Melissa and Mark Cooper and wife, Julie; three grandchildren, Colin Dawson Cooper, Bryan Kelley Cooper, and Katherine (Kate) Frances Cooper. 

In lieu of flowers the family encourages memorials be given to the First United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 1666, Austin, TX 78767 or the Cure Alzheimer Fund www.curealz.org.