Charlotte Observer Logo

A flyer who doted on his daughters | Charlotte Observer

×
  • E-edition
  • Customer Service
  • Advertise
  • Newsletters

    • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Election
    • Politics
    • Nation/World
    • Special Reports
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Corrections
    • Columnists
    • Retro Charlotte
    • Your Schools
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Sports
    • Carolina Panthers
    • Charlotte Hornets
    • That's Racin'
    • High Schools
    • College Sports
    • Charlotte Knights/MLB
    • Other Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Inside the Panthers
    • Inside the NBA
    • Prep Insiders
    • Scott Fowler
    • Tom Sorensen
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • RNC 2020
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Stocks Center
    • Top Workplaces
    • National Business
    • What's in Store
    • Development
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Living
    • Religion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Family
    • Home & Garden
    • CLT Style
    • Travel
    • Living Here Guide
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • I'll Bite
    • Kathleen Purvis
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Arts/Culture
    • Events
    • Movie News & Reviews
    • Restaurants
    • Music/Nightlife
    • Television
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Kevin Siers
    • Letters
    • Submit an Op-ed
    • Submit a Letter
    • Viewpoint
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • O-Pinion
    • You Write The Caption
    • Taylor Batten
    • Peter St. Onge
  • Celebrations
  • Obituaries
  • TV Listings

  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Place an ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • MomsCharlotte
  • Carolina Bride Magazine
  • South Park Magazine

Local

A flyer who doted on his daughters

Gerry Hostetler

    ORDER REPRINT →

June 18, 2008 12:00 AM

He flew in World War II.

He flew for his employer, Standard Oil Co.

He flew for an uncle's small Florida airline, and finally for the National Guard.

He loved flying so much that it's a wonder he wasn't born with wings.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

George William Cooper of Monroe, Standard Oil retiree and retired Air Force major, died June 3, 2008. He was 90 and flew with the Army National Guard and Reserves until 1978.

The war broke out in 1942, and he enlisted in the Army Air Forces. He got into the glider pilot program and, when the Allies invaded France, Italy and Germany, he was right there.

George moved to Greensboro before attending UNC Chapel Hill, where he ran track. He married Kathryn Berry in 1939, and daughter Kit was born before a parting of the ways.

“He was my hero,” Kit McLean said, “such a gorgeous man, very much a perfectionist in doing things right. That has influenced me a lot, and that drive is still in me today.”

Considerate, sentimental

In 1953, he married Marjorie Spain, with whom he had grown up in Charlotte's Avondale neighborhood.

Their mothers had been friends, and Marjorie liked that he was considerate and sentimental. He gave her gifts for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

“He liked to give orders; he was very military and expected his orders to be followed,” Marjorie said. “He wanted things done his way. He'd tell you what he thought, and it didn't faze him one bit to tell you off if he felt like it. He was a sweet person, but rough on the outside.”

To George and Marjorie were born daughters Deborah and Pamela.

He taught the girls shooting, woodworking, all the boy stuff. “He taught us how to play kick ball, baseball, Putt-Putt, and to ride ponies – we may as well have been boys,” said daughter Deborah Pulley.

“He was not wealthy, but if we showed an interest in anything, he wanted to promote it,” Deborah said.

Daughter Pamela Redfearn said, “When I was little, he bought me a Shetland pony, then one Christmas he bought me a leather and suede saddle. I thought I was quite spiffy. Every summer Dad and I would go sailing, water-skiing, and he and I would go fishing.”

George and Pamela shared a passion for football and watched the last Super Bowl from their separate homes. “The national anthem came on and I started boo-hooing,” Pamela said. “He was on the phone, boo-hooing, too.”

Talented with his hands

“He was very patriotic and sentimental. If he talked about the war or Army buddies, he'd start to cry. If he talked about Mom, he would definitely cry,” Pamela said.

One of George's major interests was woodworking. “He was very talented with his hands,” Kit said. “He thought that anybody who could not do something with his hands, there was something wrong with them,” Marjorie said.

George had a complete two-story woodworking shop at home; he loved to make things for the family and as gifts. “He carved an eagle for over the fireplace that took a year,” Marjorie said.

Deborah loved her dad's favorite saying, which he carved into a wooden sign that still hangs in his shop. “Life's too short to dance with an ugly woman.”

George did not dance with an ugly woman.

  Comments  

Videos

Rookie USA Kids Fashion Show features celebrities in Charlotte

Owners HQ shoe showcasing event at Mint wows fans

View More Video

Trending Stories

The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was looking weak. Then some strong basketball saved it.

February 16, 2019 02:26 AM

The NFL reaches a settlement with Colin Kaepernick. And EVERYONE is talking about it

February 16, 2019 08:00 AM

Driver fatally shoots stranger who jumped on car hood, broke window in Charlotte

February 16, 2019 07:00 PM

Hornets rookie Miles Bridges’ Larry Johnson tribute not enough in slam-dunk contest

February 16, 2019 11:06 PM

Homicides: 3 people shot and killed in 3 days in Charlotte area, police say

February 16, 2019 07:53 PM

things to do

Read Next

Did you see ATV’s and dirt bikes around Charlotte Saturday? Some drivers were arrested.

Crime

Did you see ATV’s and dirt bikes around Charlotte Saturday? Some drivers were arrested.

By Jane Wester

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 17, 2019 11:27 AM

People drove all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes all over Charlotte NC, from South Park to north and west Charlotte, on Saturday, and some of the drivers were arrested, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LOCAL

Homicides: 3 people shot and killed in 3 days in Charlotte area, police say

Crime

Homicides: 3 people shot and killed in 3 days in Charlotte area, police say

February 16, 2019 07:53 PM
Driver fatally shoots stranger who jumped on car hood, broke window in Charlotte

Crime

Driver fatally shoots stranger who jumped on car hood, broke window in Charlotte

February 16, 2019 07:00 PM
‘Please hurry:’ Police release emotional 911 audio from Rock Hill triple shooting

Crime

‘Please hurry:’ Police release emotional 911 audio from Rock Hill triple shooting

February 15, 2019 03:52 PM
The other big Duke-Carolina game: Will the Daily Tar Heel or The Chronicle prevail?

Local

The other big Duke-Carolina game: Will the Daily Tar Heel or The Chronicle prevail?

February 15, 2019 07:16 PM
How a 1984 sneaker deal for Michael Jordan evolved into a $3-billion empire

Local

How a 1984 sneaker deal for Michael Jordan evolved into a $3-billion empire

February 15, 2019 04:25 PM
Largest tribe in East called NC home for centuries. Feds say it’s not Indian enough.

Local

Largest tribe in East called NC home for centuries. Feds say it’s not Indian enough.

February 15, 2019 08:40 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Charlotte Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story