Glenna Morgan Cooper, 81, died December 16th at Morningside House Assisted Living in Leesburg, Virginia. She leaves a sister, Joy Morgan Best of Floyd, New Mexico; her daughters Karen Smith of Leesburg, and Cheryl Julien of Villeneuve les Avignon, France. She also had eight grandchildren: Andy Smith, Byron Smith, Sophie Smith, and Abby Smith; and Mathieu Julien, Laura Julien, Stephanie Julien, and Thomas Julien.

Glenna was born in Floyd, New Mexico in 1929 to Nell Bruton Morgan and R.C. « Ike » Morgan. She moved with her family to Dimmit, Texas in 1945, where she graduated from high school in 1947. She then attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology in 1951. Glenna met her husband, James G. Cooper, while working on her Master's degree at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Jim and Glenna married in Norman on June 6, 1953.

In 1954 the young couple moved to Roswell, New Mexico, where Glenna taught at the high school. From 1956 to 1961 they lived in Carlsbad, New Mexico, where their two daughters were born. The family moved to Portales, New Mexico in 1961, where they lived while Glenna taught in the Texico and Floyd, New Mexico public schools.

Glenna and Jim moved their family to Levelland, Texas in 1969, where Glenna taught anatomy, physiology, and zoology at South Plains College. She taught in the pre-nursing program there for 21 years, where she nurtured the medical careers of numerous young people, and especially helped many others who were returning to their studies as mature adults. She retired in 1990.

The family had always loved the green hills of eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas, and that is why Glenna moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas in 1992. She enjoyed living there for eight years, before she moved to Virginia in order to be closer to Karen and her family in 2000.

Glenna is remembered by her family, her friends, and her former students among other things for her natural teaching gift. It was perhaps the most important part of her life. She was a diligent and talented teacher in the classroom, but she also nurtured her children, her grandchildren, and in fact just about everyone who came in contact with her throughout her life.

Glenna was enthusiastic and spontaneous. She will also be remembered for her humor and her generous spirit. She often used humor to diffuse a situation or to illustrate a point, another of her gifts which she received from her father, who was President Pro Tem of the New Mexico senate for twenty years. Glenna and her dad were the family story tellers. Towards the end of her life Glenna amazed those around her by her determination. She never gave up a struggle, never shirked a responsibility, and she never made choices because they were easy.

Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at the Leesburg Baptist Church, 835 Lee Avenue, SW, Leesburg, VA 20175 starting at 11:00 a.m. Pastor Sandford will be officiating. Burial will follow in the Union Cemetery, Leesburg, VA.

Memorial gifts may be made to the James and Glenna Cooper Memorial Scholarship Fund at South Plains College of Levelland, Texas. Colonial Funeral Home of Leesburg, Virginia has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please send condolences to www.colonialfuneralhome.com