Adrienne W Cooper

On July 22, 1955, Adrienne Leron Walters was born to Theodore and Barbara Walters in Wheeling, WV.  She departed this temporal life in preference to life eternal in the early morning hours on Monday, September 5, 2022.
 
Adrienne was educated at Country Day Elementary School where she and her siblings were the first Black Students to integrate schooling in the Wheeling area school districts. She was also a graduate of both Mount De Chantal High School and West Liberty University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in speech pathology.
 
At the age of 17, Adrienne began working in the retail clothing industry at Stone & Thomas in Wheeling, WV. She started her career as a sales associate and eventually became a Women’s Buyer that would take her all across the United States, even making her way through the doors of the infamous Studio 54.

On December 2, 1978, is when Adrienne embarked on a new adventure and was united in Holy Wedlock to Kevin Eugene Cooper Sr.  From this union, two children were born, Kevin Jr., and Rachel Elizabeth. For 44 years, they remained dedicated to one another in the place that they call home, Pittsburgh, PA and he remained by her side until the literal moment she was called Home.
 
For 20 years, she was a Women’s Buyer for stores like Gimbles, Hornes, and Lazarus, and eventually became the General Manager for Compliments Card & Gift Shop in 5th Ave Place. Through Compliments, when it wasn’t niched to do so, Adrienne flexed her feminist power, employing a staff of all women, who were 80% minority. Compliments was one of the stores in all of Western PA to receive every new and exclusive Beanie Baby, and Adrienne was in charge of that Beanie Baby craze.

After spending over 30 years in retail, Adrienne transitioned to a new career that she loved: Teaching. For the last 15 years, she loved her classroom in the Pittsburgh Public School District and students just as much as she loved being in the retail industry. Not many people get two careers they loved, but Adrienne was blessed in both, and she met some of the most amazing friends along the way.

It was in 1980 while pregnant with her son, she was baptized by Rev. Donald O. Clay and became a member of Mt. Ararat Baptist Church where she remained a member until she became First Lady of Mulberry Community Church for 13 years. After retiring from Mulberry, she came back to Mt. Ararat as an active member, where she remained until her passing.
 
Adrienne leaves to mourn her memory:  a husband Kevin Cooper Sr., two children Kevin Cooper Jr. (spouse Monica), Rachel Cooper Johnson (spouse Julius), three siblings, Del Walters (spouse Robin) of Virginia,  Tracy Walters McCormack (spouse Jim) of Texas, Robert Walters (spouse Jennifer) of Texas, two granddaughters, Adrienne and Emerie, and a host of nieces and nephews that lauded her as their favorite Aunt Adrienne, we see ALL of you too.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Adrienne W Cooper, please visit our floral store.