Keith Bruce Cooper
Killingly – Chief Keith B. Cooper, age 53 (8-04-1967 – 5-08-2021) passed away peacefully with his mother by his side, after a brief illness. His family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Matulaitus Nursing Facility for their compassion and care during Keith’s final days.
Keith was born on August 4th, 1967 to Bruce W. Cooper and Carol Loiselle Cooper in Putnam, CT. Chief Cooper was a lifelong resident in the Rogers section of Killingly and was incredibly involved in the entire Quiet Corner in the EMS, firefighting, and as an emergency dispatcher for many years.
“Coop,” as many people referred to him, along with his old-school intelligent wit, his helpful, broad knowledge in several categories, that he was more than eager to share, and his friendly, random visits will be missed by many people whose lives were touched by Keith’s love, laughter, and compassion.
Keith attended the Killingly school system until his class of 1985 graduation. He also had joined the Williamsville Fire Engine Company in Rogers at the age of 14 where he became a junior member. Keith excelled in the EMS and firefighting service for the next 39 years including a fire coordinator for Windham county, the challenge of succeeding his father when Bruce retired from his position as Fire Chief after 30 years. For many years, Keith was a dispatcher for Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications, where he and his Saturday evening dispatch partner and good friend, Bobby Duval, made many of those nights interesting more often than not. In his earlier years, he was a member of KB Ambulance in Killingly and always shared many stories from that time.
In 1987, at the age of 19, Keith joined the Navy, scoring a perfect 4.0 on the Enlisted Performance Evaluation Report, completed Naval Aircrewman Candidate School, and moved up to Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operator Apprentice until his honorable discharge from the Naval Reserves in November of 1994, making him a veteran of the Desert Storm era. “I was in the Navy for seven years and never stepped foot on a boat,” he would always joke.
Keith worked at Bousquette’s appliance store in Danielson, Field Pipe in Wauregan, Builders Concrete in Windham, and, in 1995, began his career with the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation as a Maintainer 1 (laborer) and then to maintenance crew leader at the Mansfield facility. He was then promoted to Transportation Maintenance Planner 2 at the Norwich headquarters. Then, finally, with plenty of hard work, Keith was promoted to Transportation Maintenance Planner 3 in 2016. This position oversaw the entire Planning department in district 2.
Keith enjoyed going to the family home in Maine with his father, fishing, boating, road-tripping, and just relaxing around the campfire with his tight-knit family.
Chief Cooper is survived by his only sibling Lisa Gaudreau and her husband, Kevin of Rogers, his Mother, Carol Loiselle of Danielson, his 2 nephews, Brandon and Benjamin Gaudreau, his Aunt Paula Cooper Panteleakos and her husband, Charlie, his Aunt Paula Loiselle Magao and her husband Wayne, his Aunt Joan Loiselle Harris, five first cousins, and his the family that brought him much pride: His crew from W.F.E.C, all brothers and sisters of the firefighting and EMS community, and his colleagues from Connecticut DOT.
Keith was predeceased by his grandparents, his wife, Tina Pelkey Cooper, and, most recently, by his father, partner, friend, and personal hero, Chief Bruce Cooper.
A double graveside service for Chief Keith Cooper (with full military honors) and his father, Chief Bruce Cooper will be held at the Westfield Cemetery located on North Street in Danielson at 10:00 am on May 29th. It will be followed by a catered reception at the Williamsville Fire Engine Company’s house, located at 126 State Avenue in Rogers. Personal vehicles and Chief’ Officer vehicles will be kindly welcomed to park in the cemetery. We ask that any departments that wish to bring emergency apparatus for the funeral precession drop passengers off on North Street and stage their vehicles at the Harvard H. Ellis Technical School parking area where there will be fire police guiding you into the correct formation.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, 48 School Street Webster, MA.
A guest book is available at www.shaw-majercik.com where you may offer condolences, share fond memories, or light a candle in remembrance of Chief Cooper.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Chief Keith B. Cooper, please visit our floral store.