Claude V. Cooper died Sunday, July 5, 2009, at River Region Medical Center. He was 84.

Mr. Cooper was a native of Scooba, Miss., and had lived in Vicksburg most of his life. He retired from Westinghouse and Cooper Lighting.

Mr. Cooper served in the Navy in World War II. Born on Dec. 7, he was featured in The Vicksburg Post in 2004 on his birthday recalling his service on the USS Bush, a destroyer, in the battle of Okinawa April 6, 1945. He was one of about 223 sailors rescued from the Pacific after the ship was bombed and sunk in the battle.

He was awarded the Navy’s Asiatic-Pacific campaign ribbon with six Bronze Stars and the Philippines Liberation ribbon with two Bronze Stars, and was on a ship headed back to Pearl Harbor when the Japanese surrendered.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude V. Bryant and Mae Cooper Greenlee; a son, Michael Wayne Cooper; and a grandson, Joseph Wesley Winningham.

Survivors include his wife, Bobbie West Cooper of Vicksburg; one daughter, Pam J. Rushing and husband Emmette of Vicksburg; one son, Tommy B. Cooper and wife Beverly of Vicksburg; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Green Acres Memorial Park with the Rev. Brian Ivey officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of Glenwood Funeral Home. Visitation will be at the funeral home Thursday from noon until the service.

Pallbearers will be Lynn Nettles, Joe Bilbo, Daniel Cooper, Jason Cooper, Tony Malik and Bobby Geter.

Honorary pallbearers will be Gene Williams, Jimmy Stanford, Huey Vines, Bill Clark, Dr. Lee Giffin, Dr. Michael Davis, Dr. Feras Hamadeh, Henry Muirhead, Paul Carrico, Tommy Johnson and Joe Scott.