James M. Cooper, age 91, died Feb. 18 at Island Health and Rehabilitation Center. He had been recuperating from pneumonia and was scheduled to go home the morning of his sudden and unexpected death.

He was born Dec. 3, 1912 in Uhrichville, Ohio, to Albert E. and Dora (Naille) Cooper. The family move to Bainbridge Island in 1920 when he was 8 years old, with his four siblings.

In 1931, he graduated from Bainbridge High School with honors and awards playing basketball, football and track.

He married Phyllis A. Day, on Sept. 23, 1935. They raised three children on Bainbridge and recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary with family and friends.

In 1939, he joined the Boilermakers/Shipfitters Union and worked in the Bremerton Shipyard. He volunteered to be sent to Honolulu to help clean up after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

He became very active in the union and held offices of assistant business agent, and was elected secretary treasurer of the Boilermakers Union Local 104 until retirement.

His leadership for better working conditions and health benefits for the membership were success- full on his watch; “Union Jack” was a Boilermaker for 41 years.

His many hobbies included raising and breeding horses. He helped organize and was active in the Bainbridge Island Saddle Club in the 1950s. He bowled in Bainbridge Island leagues and traveling teams well into his senior years.

He belonged to Wing Point Golf and Country Club and Meadowmeer Golf Club. He played golf with the best in Kitsap County, won many tournaments and awards, and made a lot of good friends. 

He encouraged all to play golf, and his grandson Vic Ellingsen is a golf pro. He continued to golf well into his late 80s, stroking the ball straight and sinking his putts.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis Cooper; daughters Carol Hart and Beverly Ellingsen of Bainbridge Island; son Robert (Linda) Cooper of Kennewick; grandchildren Ron (April) Ellingsen, Bob (Kim) Ellingsen, Mike (Monica) Ellingsen and Vic Ellingsen, Jim Hart, Brian (Janet) Hart, Jeff Hart, Steve Hart and Shelly Hart, Kelly Cooper and Robert Cooper, and friend/son Syd Gee, and 23 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his twin brother Albert Cooper of Bainbridge Island in 2001.

There will be no services.