Cooper

Horace Edward Cooper, 86, of Claysville, Washington County, died Sunday at Presbyterian Medical Center, Washington, Pa., after a short illness.

Born May 29, 1920, in Cabot, he was a son of Edward and Anna Wilkewitz Cooper.

He was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Saxonburg.

Mr. Cooper, a 1939 graduate of Winfield High School, served with the 8th Air Force in England during World War II and obtained the rank of technical sergeant. He was awarded a special commendation in communication for the wartime work he did.

He had attended the Capital Radio Institute in Washington, D.C., in 1943, and he was known throughout the world as an amateur radio operator with the call sign W3UVG.

He was a member of many organizations, including the American Association of Retired Persons, American Legion Post 945, Air Force Flyers Club, 8th Air Force Historical Society, 482nd Bomb Group Association, Pittsburgh Antique Radio Society, Antique Wireless Association, Monongalia Wireless Association, Triple States Radio Amateur Radio Club, 10-10 International Radio Network, Short-Wave League and National Geographic Society.

He was a founding member of the American Air Museum in Britain and the 8th Air Force Heritage Center in Savannah, Ga.

He held a first class commercial radiotelephone license from the Federal Communications Commission since 1941 and had done engineering work for radio and television broadcast stations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and New York.

From 1952 through his retirement in 1980, he was a television transmission engineer with KDKA-TV of Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. in Pittsburgh.

He had been in the Washington, Pa., area since 1946 and was a past member of the Washington Engineering Society and also served as the chief engineer for radio station WJPA.

Several cousins and his best friend and caregiver, David Rogers, survive.

He was the last surviving member of his immediate family and was preceded in death by a brother, Henry D. Cooper.

<B>COOPER</B> — Friends of Horace Edward Cooper, who died Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at <B>William G. Neal Funeral Homes</B>, 925 Allison Ave., Washington.Viewing also will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at <B>Fox Funeral Home</B>, 140 W. Main St., Saxonburg.Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Saxonburg.Burial will follow at the Hannahstown Cemetery, Cabot.Additional information and guest book are available online at www.NealFuneralHome.com.