Cooper Jr. Dies at 74

Cooper Communities Inc. chairman John A Cooper Jr. died Sunday at the age of 74.

According to a report in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the cause of Cooper’s death was complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a breathing ailment. Cooper’s nephew, Neff Basore, told the Democrat-Gazette a nurse found Cooper unconscious at his home on Saturday and he was taken to Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers.

Cooper’s father established Bella Vista Village, among other endeavors, after World War II. Cooper worked for his father’s company for a time before becoming president in 1968. He oversaw the expansion of Bella Vista Village, the development of Hot Springs Village and a string of other similar projects.

Arvest Bank Group chairman Jim Walton, a member of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s board of directors, told the Democrat-Gazette that Cooper was instrumental in the development of Northwest Arkansas as a region.

“What he and his family did [by creating Bella Vista Village] was the first really huge difference-maker in Northwest Arkansas,” Walton said. “Because of that, we had amenities that communities our size could not and did not have.

“That made us better.”

Cooper also is remembered as an avid outdoorsman and philanthropist. His funeral will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Bella Vista.