Biography:

Ernest Harper Cooper, 86, died peacefully June 17^th 2026, in Hot Springs Village, AR.  He was born in Little Rock, AR, on March 10, 1940.

Harper graduated from Pine Bluff High School in 1958.  Being gifted in sports, he was an excellent athlete excelling in football, basketball and baseball.  In addition to sports, he was an avid piano player and went on to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville on a piano scholarship.  He was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity.  After his freshman year, he signed a baseball contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and went on to play in the minor leagues for several years.  He returned to the University of Arkansas and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.

With a childhood passion for cattle and horses, he enjoyed several careers throughout the years, including Swift & Co, farming and owning and breeding quarter horses.  Later in life, he finally found his calling in aviation by becoming a pilot and an instructor at CAE SimuFlite in Grapevine, TX.  He retired at 79 and moved to Hot Springs Village upon meeting his wife, BJ Conner.  His desire for sports carried on with his love for golf. He and his wife played together often.  With his new found life with BJ, they joined couples golf groups, couples card groups, dance groups, bible studies and traveled as often as possible.  His life was filled with happiness and love for the last three years of his life before God took him home.

Harper was a man of God always yearning to learn more on his faith journey.  He had a passion for spending his time deep in scripture, which always led to inviting people into conversations about the bible and its history.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John Duffield Cooper and Gladys Harper Cooper, and his brother, Jack Cooper.  He is survived by his wife, Barbara Jean Conner of Hot Springs Village, AR and three daughters Retta Thompson Fulmer (Doyle), Haven Cooper England, both of Little Rock, AR and Mary Catherine Healy (Drew) of Nashville, TN; six grandchildren, Blake England (Jillian), Catherine England, Hank Healy, Haven Healy, Ashley Fulmer, and Wells Healy.

Celebration of Life will be held at Mountainside Church, Hot Springs Village, AR, July 17th at 2:00 PM.  Everyone is welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hot Springs Village Animal Welfare League, Inc., P.O. Box 8032, Hot Springs Village, AR 71910.