In Memory of
Retired Spring Valley Ambulance Director
Jim Cooper
James (Jim) Alan Cooper, 66, of Spring Valley, died on Thursday, Sept. 17, surrounded by his family at Mayo Clinic Hospital – Saint Marys Campus in Rochester.
Jim was born October 13, 1948 to M. Robert and Dorothy (House) Cooper, in Rochester, MN. He grew up in Stewartville and Rochester and graduated from John Marshall HS in 1966. While in high school, he met the love of his life, Judy, and they were married June 22, 1968. Jim attended college at Rochester Junior College and the University of Minnesota, Duluth where he majored in music education. Upon leaving college he worked for Groves Kelco, Inc. and Moorman Feed Co. In 1974 he moved with his family to Caledonia, where he got his start with the Caledonia Ambulance, and began teaching EMS classes for Red Cross, American Heart Assn., and Rochester Technical College.
In 1988, Jim moved to Spring Valley to become the director of the Ambulance Service where he spent 26 years dedicating himself to his community and improving Emergency Medical Services for the city and the surrounding area. Jim founded the SVAA Association to make EMS training more accessible for other ambulance and fire services in rural SE MN. This charitable organization purchased equipment to support the training and assured the citizens of rural Spring Valley that they had the best in class EMS services. Jim taught and inspired a countless number of area EMTs and First Responders, as well as nurses, teachers, daycare providers, lifeguards, and other care-takers. Jim served as Emergency Management Director and was licensed as an amateur radio operator. Jim also worked as a Medicolegal Death Scene Investigator for two area regional Medical Examiners offices. Jim was active in the Boy Scouts of America and led an Explorer Post in Spring Valley to provide leadership development and career experience opportunities for students and young adults. Some of his students have gone on to careers in the medical field such as Registered Nurse, Flight Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Assistant.
Jim was a loving and dedicated husband, father, brother, son, and loyal friend. Jim was a skillful leader with a servant’s heart. He found his calling in the ambulance service and found no greater fulfillment than serving his community of neighbors and friends. Jim was most proud of his family and his ambulance crew, who were family for him as well. Jim loved to hunt, golf, and teach. He had a gift for music and a gift for caring for his fellow man. Jim saved the lives of many and enriched the lives of many more.
Jim served in several organizations over the years including Past Master of Caledonia Lodge AF&AM; Past President Caledonia Founders Days; Past President Caledonia Chamber of Commerce; Scout Master; Past Director Caledonia Community Band and Methodist Church Handbell Choir; Caledonia Lions Club; Spring Valley Athletic Booster Club, and Spring Valley Kiwanis. He was awarded the Minnesota EMS Manager of the Year in 1995 and the 2014 Citizen of the Year by the Spring Valley Kiwanis.
Jim is survived by his wife Judy of Spring Valley, three children: John (Miriam) Cooper of Denton, TX, Jodi (Brian) Wiemerslage of Wykoff, MN and Jeff (Vicki) Cooper of La Crosse, WI, five grandchildren: Josie, Corinna, Wyatt, Kayanne and Isaac. He is also survived by his mother Dorothy Cooper of Rochester, MN and one sister Karen (Marty) Jensen of Rochester.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Visitation will be Thursday, Sept. 24th at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley, 5:00 – 8:00 PM. A memorial service will be officiated by Pastor Joe Haynes at the First Baptist Church of Spring Valley on Friday, Sept. 25th, 11:00 AM, followed by a reception at the Spring Valley Community Center. The Cooper family is dedicated to honoring Jim’s legacy and memorials are preferred to the Jim Cooper EMS Foundation, 112 West Fairview St, Spring Valley, MN 55975
Jim was born October 13, 1948 to M. Robert and Dorothy (House) Cooper, in Rochester, MN. He grew up in Stewartville and Rochester and graduated from John Marshall HS in 1966. While in high school, he met the love of his life, Judy, and they were married June 22, 1968. Jim attended college at Rochester Junior College and the University of Minnesota, Duluth where he majored in music education. Upon leaving college he worked for Groves Kelco, Inc. and Moorman Feed Co. In 1974 he moved with his family to Caledonia, where he got his start with the Caledonia Ambulance, and began teaching EMS classes for Red Cross, American Heart Assn., and Rochester Technical College.
In 1988, Jim moved to Spring Valley to become the director of the Ambulance Service where he spent 26 years dedicating himself to his community and improving Emergency Medical Services for the city and the surrounding area. Jim founded the SVAA Association to make EMS training more accessible for other ambulance and fire services in rural SE MN. This charitable organization purchased equipment to support the training and assured the citizens of rural Spring Valley that they had the best in class EMS services. Jim taught and inspired a countless number of area EMTs and First Responders, as well as nurses, teachers, daycare providers, lifeguards, and other care-takers. Jim served as Emergency Management Director and was licensed as an amateur radio operator. Jim also worked as a Medicolegal Death Scene Investigator for two area regional Medical Examiners offices. Jim was active in the Boy Scouts of America and led an Explorer Post in Spring Valley to provide leadership development and career experience opportunities for students and young adults. Some of his students have gone on to careers in the medical field such as Registered Nurse, Flight Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Assistant.
Jim was a loving and dedicated husband, father, brother, son, and loyal friend. Jim was a skillful leader with a servant’s heart. He found his calling in the ambulance service and found no greater fulfillment than serving his community of neighbors and friends. Jim was most proud of his family and his ambulance crew, who were family for him as well. Jim loved to hunt, golf, and teach. He had a gift for music and a gift for caring for his fellow man. Jim saved the lives of many and enriched the lives of many more.
Jim served in several organizations over the years including Past Master of Caledonia Lodge AF&AM; Past President Caledonia Founders Days; Past President Caledonia Chamber of Commerce; Scout Master; Past Director Caledonia Community Band and Methodist Church Handbell Choir; Caledonia Lions Club; Spring Valley Athletic Booster Club, and Spring Valley Kiwanis. He was awarded the Minnesota EMS Manager of the Year in 1995 and the 2014 Citizen of the Year by the Spring Valley Kiwanis.
Jim is survived by his wife Judy of Spring Valley, three children: John (Miriam) Cooper of Denton, TX, Jodi (Brian) Wiemerslage of Wykoff, MN and Jeff (Vicki) Cooper of La Crosse, WI, five grandchildren: Josie, Corinna, Wyatt, Kayanne and Isaac. He is also survived by his mother Dorothy Cooper of Rochester, MN and one sister Karen (Marty) Jensen of Rochester.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Visitation will be Thursday, Sept. 24th at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley, 5:00 – 8:00 PM. A memorial service will be officiated by Pastor Joe Haynes at the First Baptist Church of Spring Valley on Friday, Sept. 25th, 11:00 AM, followed by a reception at the Spring Valley Community Center. The Cooper family is dedicated to honoring Jim’s legacy and memorials are preferred to the Jim Cooper EMS Foundation, 112 West Fairview St, Spring Valley, MN 55975
On behalf of the entire SE Minnesota EMS Region, we would like to extend our most sincere sympathies to the Cooper Family on the loss of Jim. We thank Jim and his family for his service as an EMT, Ambulance Director and EMS Educator for the Spring Valley Ambulance and surrounding communities. The thoughts and prayers of our EMS family are with the Cooper family, friends and co-workers at this most difficult time.