Betty A. Cooper

Betty A. Cooper, 75, formerly of Ogallala, passed away on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, after a 15-year battle with breast cancer in the Avow Hospice Center in Naples, Florida.

Betty was born on February 11, 1945, at Broken Bow, to Ivan and Lucielle (Mills) Barrett. She attended school in a one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade and graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1963.

Betty had a wonderful childhood on the farm. She was active in 4-H, enjoying the farm animals the most.

After high school, Betty then attended Kearney State College.

Betty was married to Larry W. Sells in 1965, and to this union, two sons, Todd Ryman and Lance Ivan were born. They made their home in Bertrand and Kearney. They divorced in 1981.

On February 11, 1983, Betty was married to Allan Bradford Cooper Jr. in Las Vegas, Nevada, and acquired two stepchildren, Shannon Renee and Joseph Adam.

Allan and Betty lived in Kearney, where Betty worked in the medical field and then Broken Bow for a number of years and raised their children. They moved to Montana, then moved back to Nebraska, living at Ogallala, where they made their home, and she and Allan managed the Ogallala Country Club.

Wanting to get to warmer weather, they decided to permanently move to Naples, Florida, and vacation back at their Nebraska home.

Betty once again returned to the medical field for her occupation until she retired. Betty always enjoyed the doctors she worked for and their patients.

Betty enjoyed playing bridge, golf, going to movies with her friends, and traveling to lots of beautiful places with Allan. She was very active at Hibiscus Golf Club socially, while Allan oversaw the operation. Betty especially loved the Marco Beach and ocean and the Naples Pier.

Betty made lots of friends wherever she was and will be remembered for being the most caring, loving, devoted, and brave woman.

Betty is survived by her loving husband, Allan, of Naples, Florida; a son, Todd (Joy) Sells, of Eureka, Montana, and granddaughter, Michelle of Kalispell, Montana; a son, Lance and his wife, Kristin, and twins, Cassandra and Alexander Sells, of Monterey, California. Other survivors include step-children J. Adam Cooper and his wife, Maria, and children, Kinsley, Ashley, Travis, and Ethan, of O'Neill, and Shannon Grosse and her husband, Scott, of Tecumseh, and children, Kylie, and her husband, Andrew Cleveland, and great-grandchildren, Bently, Kyler, Emerson, and twins, Heaven and Nevaeh, of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Brandon Filsinger, of Lincoln; a great-grandson, Jaden and his father, Ben Kuehne, of Kalispell, Montana; her two wonderful nieces, Polly (Larry) Schwartzkopf, of Oshkosh, and Pam (Bobby) Collins, of Ogallala, and nephew, David (Denise) Barrett, of Ogallala, and their families, whom Betty loved very much.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Ivan and Lucielle Barrett; her in-laws; her brother, Bob; a granddaughter, Mikala Sells; and a sister-in-law, Jeanne.

Memorials can be sent in Betty's name to Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer, P.O. Box 607, Naples, FL, 34105 or Avow Hospice, 1095 Whipporwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105.

Memorial services will be on August 28, 2020, at 10 a.m. at the Ogallala United Methodist Church with Rev. Chuck Rager officiating. Interment of cremains will be in the Ogallala Cemetery.

Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.