Former NA mayor Tom Cooper, 77, dies

Former New Albany mayor and Union County chancery clerk Tom Cooper died Monday after dealing with health issues for several years.

The Delta native, an Anguilla High School graduate, came to New Albany to work for the Futorian furniture manufacturing company after completing studies at Mississippi State University.

Cooper quickly became involved in the community.

He was elected as alderman for Ward One in 1981, serving three terms. He later was elected New Albany mayor, a post he held from 1993 to 1997.

Cooper was appointed to serve the unexpired term of Larry Koon as chancery clerk in November 1999, having already been elected to that office. He was chancery clerk from 1999 through 2008.

As a businessman, Cooper was manager and co-owner of Custom Alloy on Carter Avenue.

Cooper’s interest in helping the community went beyond business and politics. He was a volunteer firefighter for more than 30 years, a member of the Union County Development Association, a member of the New Albany Main Street Association and the Union County Historical Society.

Cooper served as president of the New Albany Jaycees and was a long-time member of the New Albany Rotary Club, where he served as secretary and president, and where he was named a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.

During his political career, he was Chairman of Three Rivers Planning and Development District, President of the North Mississippi Mayor’s Association, and a member of the Three Rivers Solid Waste Authority.

Cooper was a member of First United Methodist Church where he served on the Administrative Board, Board of Trustees, and served as Sunday School Department Secretary 27 years.

More recently, Cooper was honored by being chosen grand marshal for the New Albany Christmas Parade in 2017.

Funeral arrangements were pending Tuesday.