Charles Cooper Hart's Obituary
Charles Cooper Hart ( “Chuck”), 73, passed away on December 12, 2013 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He was born in Weatherford, Oklahoma on November 22, 1940, to Dorcas and Ted Hart. He grew up in Pawnee, OK, and married Peggy Fenton also of Pawnee on September 14, 1963. He spent all of his career in the oil industry. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Peggy Hart; a son, Ken and his wife Kim Hart of Yorktown, Virginia; a daughter, Kelly and her husband David Near, of Marietta, Georgia; granddaughters Tara and Catherine Hart and Marissa Lovins; sister, Randi Tanner of Broken Arrow and brother, Kevin Graham of Edmond. He was preceded in death by his father, mother, and step-father Lester Graham. A gathering to celebrate his life was held for family at the home of his niece and her husband, Mindy and Kent Brown of Tulsa following a private tribute held at the Heritage Mausoleum at Floral Haven on December 19. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer’s Foundation.Obituary read at funeral: Charles Cooper Hart was born November 22, 1940 in Weatherford, OK to Ted and Dorcas Hart. He died on December 12, 2013 in Broken Arrow after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Peggy; son Ken and his wife Kim; daughter Kelly and her husband David; sister Randi Tanner and brother Kevin Graham. He is also survived by his grandchildren Tara, Catherine, and Marissa. After his father’s death and his mother’s marriage to Lester Graham, he grew up in Pawnee with siblings Kevin and Randi. As a child he enjoyed hunting and fishing with Lester and Uncle Mark, building model cars and airplanes, exploring Bear Creek, and playing his trumpet. While learning to hit the high notes, he tossed his horn aside with frustration, and put a dent in it. As he mastered those high notes and performed solos in concerts and contests, that dent was a reminder that persistence pays off. He loved cars. Granddaddy Hart let him sit on his lap and steer the car, his mom reluctantly let him pull the car forward and backward in the gravel driveway long before he was sixteen, and Lester taught him how to tinker under the hood. He loved washing and waxing the car, cleaning the upholstery, polishing the chrome, and adjusting the idle before a Saturday night date. Learning to change the oil and spark plugs was a blessing to the family and friends he helped in later years. Much later still, he spent a whole year restoring a Mustang, only to give it to his daughter when she turned sixteen. He married Peggy Fenton from Pawnee on September 14, 1963. They celebrated their 50th anniversary this year, no longer those same “kids” who were so crazy about each other, but a couple who still meant everything to each other. They had two children, Kenny and Kelly. They were parents who were involved in their kids’ lives. Charles was not only Kenny’s little league coach for five years, but he was also the little league president for three years. Both Kenny and Kelly were percussionists in the Pride of Broken Arrow, and he and Peggy were active in fund raising and following all the halftime performances and contests. Charles was a detail-oriented person and was committed to doing a good job on any undertaking, whether that was for his job in the oil industry, or for his family and friends. He was intelligent and analytical and was the “go to” person if you needed to recall a date, a detail, or a memory. • He, like his Aunt Lou, loved tracing the family genealogy. • He loved doing taxes – his, his mother’s, his brother’s, his neighbors’ –all for free. • He helped Peggy balance the books when she was the administrator of Cedar Crest Care Center, where she is now a resident.Charles is leaving us much too soon. Randi and Kevin will miss their big brother and friend, but will remember neighborhood games like “kick the can” and catching lightning bugs down on Bear Creek. Cousins will miss Chuck’s wit and pranks, but will remember family reunions in Stillwater at Uncle Duke’s, and Ponca City gatherings at Aunt Lou’s. Kenny and Kelly will miss their father’s strength and encouragement, but Kenny will remember little league and watching football games with his dad. Kelly will remember dancing in the living room to big band music with her dad. Granddaughters Marissa, Tara, and Catie will miss his quiet patience and acceptance and joy in watching them grow into smart and beautiful young women. Marissa will remember Grandpa painting her fingernails, coloring pictures with her, and encouraging her to sing “The Kids on the Bus” at the Cooper family reunion when she was only three. Tara will remember a Fourth of July when Grandpa entertained them by lighting fireworks in the street at his house in Broken Arrow. Catie will remember when she was six and Grandpa surprised her with a stuffed turtle from the gift shop after seeing her fascination with turtles at the Jenks Aquarium. Though we will miss him greatly, we have memories that bring us smiles and comfort. The best way to celebrate his life is to reflect on his strengths of character, to have pride in a job well done, and to fully appreciate the time we have left.
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