Michael Cooper was found passed away at his apartment at 1640 Worchester Road, Framingham, MA on July 30, 2020. Mike was born at Titus-Fisher Hospital in Norwalk, Ohio, at 6:03 pm January 26, 1964. His sister Michelle arrived a year later on January 27, 1965, followed by his brother Chris on January 11, 1966. Mike is survived by his daughter Kylie Fender and her husband Chris Fender who reside in Coshocton, Ohio, with their three children: twins Colton and Dalton and daughter Alexis.
After graduating high school Mike’s father Leonard Cusano joined the military and served until 1962. He married me in 1963 and died of a heart attack when Mike was very young. One evening Mike asked Lenny and me about his heritage. Lenny told him the following story. His grandparents came to America from Northern Italy in the early 1900’s. With no money and unable to speak the language, they worked hard making a home and raising a family. They rose early and labored 10-12 hours each day to make ends meet. After dinner each evening, they would retrieve an old worn schoolbook they had purchased from Brothers Mercantile and using the light from the fireplace, learned to speak English. Lenny said, English was important but so were the values they brought from Italy. Their children were taught the value of honesty; to take pride in a job well done; the importance of attending mass on Sunday; and taking good care of their family. Family meant you were loved – Always. When their youngest daughter Jeanette came of age, she married Albert Cusano. Eight years later Lenny was born. His birth was followed by Anthony, Paul Joe, Richard and Emma Jean, who still live in Ohio.
It was then my turn to tell Mike, as best I could, the Abele heritage. As my Great Grandmother sat in her rocking chair crocheting beautiful pieces of work even though she was blind, I listened to her stories. My Great Grandmother married my Great Grandfather and with the money they had saved booked passage to America. She said they and their childhood friends from Germany chose to settle in Sandusky, Ohio, Erie County. They saved until they were able to buy a home. Their closest friends had also saved for a home, but the bank was requiring them to have a co-signer. They asked my great grandparents to co-sign so they could own a home too. They agreed, but it was a decision they would come to regret.
The years passed, children were born and goals were met. The Abeles’ woke up one cold morning to discover their friends’ home was empty. Their childhood best friends had fallen on hard times, but too embarrassed to face the Abeles, they chose to move out during the night. The bank had repossessed their home. As co-signers, my Great Grandparents were forced to return their home to the bank. A year later their 2-year old daughter died of a high fever. Life was hard.
Years later the Abele’s son Erwin married Dolly, his childhood sweetheart. Erwin and Dolly had five children, three boys (George, Charles and Norman) and two girls (Helen and Virginia). Norman volunteered to join the Army in 1941 and was killed in action at the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines in October 1944.
In 1936, my parents Charles Abele and Geraldine Ford were married. They had two children, my sister Shirley and 5 years later I was born. Shirley became a nurse and then met and married Peter Dubois. Twelve children followed their happy union. In 1971 I married Billy Cooper. Shortly after our marriage Mr. Cooper adopted Mike, his sister Michelle and his brother Chris. Approximately ten years later he died from a heart attack.
Mike attended Riverview High School, graduating in 1983. While at the Coshocton Joint Vocational School, Mike excelled at Cosmetology and earned a Creative Design Award.
Mike often said that the greatest joy of his life was the day his daughter Kylie was born. He was so very proud of her. Mike told me, “Mom, the moment the nurse laid Kylie in my arms and her head lay against my chest, I cried. Mom, I never cried before, not even when I broke my arm, but I was so happy, I cried all night.”
At the age of twelve, Mike passed the Red Cross Life Saving Course. The following summer he volunteered to teach beginners who couldn’t swim. Each summer the Red Cross sponsored swimming classes held at the local Lake Park facility. He volunteered for three years. Mike loved seeing a child who was no longer afraid to put their face in the water. He took great pride in his students on graduation day. After swimming the required fifty feet, that same child would climb out of the water, smiling from ear to ear, so proud of their achievement. Mike could be seen watching each child, giving them a wink and a thumbs up.
In 1984 I met and married W. Carl Horn on July 4. After I was offered a position in California, we relocated to Lake Elsinore, Ca. I continued in real estate sales until my retirement. After thirty-three years Carl retired as V.P of Quality for Parco, Inc. in Ontario, California.
While living in Texas, Mike suffered a critical accident in 1990. While walking home from work late one Friday night, a severely drunk driver drove off the road running over Mike and leaving the scene. An officer who was answering a silent B&E alarm, actually saw the accident and apprehended the driver. After securing the driver in his patrol car, he went looking for Mike along the dark road. He found Mike had been thrown into a water-filled ditch-face down. After reviving him an ambulance was called and he was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital. It was the driver’s third DUI arrest and second arrest for driving without a license or insurance.
After the surgeon learned that both he and Mike attended the same church, he refused to operate until a priest was called and Mike was given the Last-Rites. Our Prayers were answered and Mike recovered but continued to suffer the remainder of his life from his numerous injuries.
In the winter of 2016, Mike began pursuing a life-long dream. His goal was to earn a degree in Hotel-and Restaurant Management. He began attending classes at Quinsigamond Community College. In early 2019, complications from the 1990 accident required Mike to take time off from school to undergo two surgeries. As a result, he was never able to compete his studies.
Mike is survived by his daughter Kylie Fender and her husband Chris who live in Coshocton, OH; his sister Michelle Rudolph Cusano, Monroe, LA; his brother Chris Cooper, Lake Elsinore, CA; his mother Sally Horn and her husband Carl of Lake Elsinore, CA; his uncle Peter Dubois and his wife (Shirley Dubois, deceased) of Sandusky, OH; Maria and James Grimm, Castalia, OH; Susan and Dennis Petrick, Croatia; Louis and Rene Dubois, Manistique, MI; Allen Dubois (deceased) and Lisa, Maumee, OH; James and Meghan Dubois, Vermillion, OH; Lena Dee Dubois, Miller Place, NY.; Stephanie and Chris Seeley, Front Royal, VA; Charlene and Kevin Pollinger, Fort Mill, SC.; Cecilia and Eric Wrightman, Sandusky, OH; Jon and Sue Dubois, Woodville, OH; Bryan and Mandy Dubois, Sandusky, OH; Jeanette and David Post, Goshen, IN. Also surviving Mike are: Anthony Cusano, Paul Joe Cusano, Richard Cusano and Emma Jean Cusano all living in Ohio.
Cremation will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2020. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Mike’s name to the Heart Foundation.