of Batesville, AR

January 28, 1941 - July 26, 2025

Mary Elizabeth Cooper Miller left this earthly life to meet God on July 26, 2025. She was born on January 28, 1941, at Twin Creek (Izard County), Arkansas, the daughter of William Jefferson Cooper, Sr. and Lora Edna Smith Cooper.

She attended a one-room school at Lower Twin Creek for her first four years and her life-long fascination with Ancient Egypt began in the second grade there.

Her writing ability became apparent when serving as Editor of the high school newspaper. Mary was Valedictorian of her graduating class at Melbourne High School in 1958.

After obtaining her Education Degree from Arkansas State Teachers College (now UCA) in Conway, Mary graduated with a Master's Degree in Educational Media from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1976.

During her teaching career, she was active in Professional Organization and was named the William R. Fulton Leadership Award recipient from the Association of Educational Communications and Technology. Mary also officiated as Parliamentarian for the AECT's School Librarian Division's National Convention. In addition, she wrote articles for several professional publication, both state and national.

While active as Newsletter Editor for the Lyon College Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Mary was awarded the Best Newsletter Award from the national organization.

She also served as an Officer and on the Executive Board for the Arkansas Audio Visual Association and for the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers.

Her hobbies were gardening, reading, sewing, handicrafts, travel and genealogy. She discovered her sixth great grandfather was the old settler named John Lafferty, for whom Lafferty Creek and the settlement was named. He brought his family to Independence County in 1810. Years later, she authored a book about her father's family titled "Coopers on Izard County, Arkansas".

Mary and Jerry Earick Miller, Sr. were married on October 26, 1978. Throughout the years, they enjoyed travels to all fifty states, parts of Canada and parts of Europe. Her favorite places were Arkansas and Hawaii. Their most unusual sight was watching a baby whale spouting water while swimming with its mother off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. Mary also traveled to South America, Scotland, Ireland and England on visits.

As members of the First Baptist Church, Batesville they went on mission trips to Alaska and to Yellowstone Baptist College in Billings, Montana. They showed Christian love to their families, friends and her students.

Mary's activities in several heritage organizations included: State President of the Arkansas Society of the Colonial Dames XVII Century; Vice President of the Arkansas Society of the Daughter of the American Colonists; State Librarian and State Historian of the Arkansas Society of the Daughter of the American Revolution; a member of the United States Daughters War of 1812; plus State Historian, State Recorder of Military Service Awards and Honorary President of the Arkansas Society of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. She also accomplished work at the chapter, district and division levels in all of these organizations.

In 1989, Mary was elected Registrar of Independence County Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. She has helped many members be approved by helping with their genealogical research during the years.

During her educational career, Mary was employed as a school librarian at the elementary, junior high and senior high school levels. She also served as an English teacher in the higher grades. The Pulaski County Special School District librarians were chosen as runners-up for the prestigious Library Media Program of the Year Award from the American Librarian Association in 1977 when she was teaching at Homer Adkins Elementary School, Jacksonville.

Mary was President of the Batesville Genealogical Society and the Independence County Historical Society and later served as a member of the Arkansas Genealogical Society's Executive Board.

For thirty-two years, Mary volunteered as Newsletter Editor for the Batesville Area Civil War Round Table and served for thirty years as Editor of the ''Bits of Bark From the Family Tree'', a quarterly publication of the Batesville Genealogical Society.

Performing her civil duty, Mary was chosen as a member of a jury and also served on the Independence County Library Board for one term.

Mary was a member of the Arkansas Retired Teachers Association, the Independence County Retired Teachers Association, the Batesville Area Civil War Round Table and the Historical Societies of Independence, Izard, Sharp and Stone Counties in Arkansas.

As Editor of the ''The Izard County Historian'', the publication for the Izard Historical Society, her work won awards for the Best Articles awarded by the Arkansas Historical Association. An article about the Cumberland Presbyterians in Izard County History won the Best Church History award published in 2021. Her article about the Methodists in Izard County History received the Best Religious History Award from the state society in 2022. An article written by Mary and Russell Baker received an award in the Arkansas Genealogical Society's Best Article Contest published in their Arkansas Family Historian in 2002 during their 2023 ceremony about the First Church in Sharpe County, Arkansas. Her article about Christian religious denominations in Izard County's recorded history, beginning with the Jeffery family bringing a Presbyterian Church to Mount Olive in 1816, was the 2024 Best Religious Article in the awards from Arkansas Historical Association's Awards. Her article about the Bean Family, published in the Independence County Chronicle, received the Best Family History Award. Mary was the only person to win two separate awards in 2024 from this group.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts and several cousins.

Mary is survived by husband, Jerry of the home. Other survivors are two step-children, Reverend Jerry E. Miller, Jr. (Adrienne) of Raleigh, North Carolina and Anita Miller Clinard (Mark) of Fayetteville, AR; Two grandchildren, Christopher Clinard (Shyrah) of Nashville, TN and Chastity Clinard of Fayetteville, AR; One brother, Wiilliam Jefferson ''Bud'' Cooper, Jr. of Boswell, AR and one sister, Linda Carol Cooper of Melbourne, AR; Two nephews, Lyndell Cooper and Waylan Cooper; Two nieces, Regina Cooper and Elizabeth Daigle; three great-nephews, Caleb Cooper, Will Cooper and John Daigle; Many cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 6:00pm on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at Roller-Crouch Chapel in Batesville with Jerry E. Miller, Jr. officiating.

Visitation will be from 5:00-6:00pm on Wednesday, July 30, 2025 prior to service at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Chris Clinard, Kirk Miller, Farrell Miller, Jr., Jimmy Martin, Eric Smith and Justin Daigle. Honorary pallbearers will be JW Vest, the Melbourne Class of 1958 and Sue Richmond.

Burial will be in the Melbourne Cemetery at 9:00am on Thursday, July 31, 2025 with Farrell Miller, Sr. officiating.

Memorials may be mailed to The Izard County Historical Society at P.O. Box 877, Melbourne, AR 72556 or to The Vest Cemetery Association of Boswell at 219 West Street, Melbourne, AR 72556.

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