Alice J. Cooper

Alice Joan Cooper, 91 passed away peacefully on August 11, 2022, at The Pines of Mission in St. Ignatius. Alice was born on September 9, 1930, in Sparks, NE. She was the daughter of LaVern and Edith Combs. She had four brothers and five sisters. In 1947 the family moved to Polson, MT. Alice graduated from Polson High School in 1948.

On June 24, 1950, Alice married Donald A. Cooper in Polson. In their 64 years of marriage, Alice & Don raised eight children. In 1968 they moved their family to Lewistown, MT to fulfill their dream of starting a family lumber mill. With Alice keeping the books and most of the kids working after school at the mill, they built a thriving business in the community.

In 1979 Alice and Don moved back to Polson where Don built their family home.

Alice was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She loved her family, dancing with her husband, sewing, cooking, and working in her flower garden. Alice was an amazing woman. Even after raising her eight children, she still had the energy to go back to work at Walmart in the housewares department. She was so proud of receiving her 10-year pin.

Survivors include her sisters Zina Balducci and Aubrey (Bob) Drebes, two daughters: Bonnie (Dave) DaRold and Janet (Simba) Cooper, six sons: Donald G. Cooper, Jackie (Roxie) Cooper, Douglas (Lori) Cooper, Wayne (Carol) Cooper and

Howard Cooper, fifteen grandchildren, twenty-three great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Don, her son David Roger, her mother Edith Combs and father LaVern Combs, four brothers and three sisters.

Thanks to all of you for the calls and prayers going out to our family during this difficult time. A special thank you to the kind staff at The Pines of Mission for treating our mother as their own. We are forever grateful.

A celebration of Alice’s life is planned on August 27, 2022, at 1:00 pm at the Lakeview Cemetery in Polson. A potluck picnic for family and friends will be held immediately afterwards at Boettcher Park.