Marcia Gae Cooper, 83, died December 8, 2020, at Mennonite Friendship Communities, South Hutchinson.  She was born March 17, 1937, in Neodesha, Kansas, to Wilborn and Muriel Ellen (Sale) Grokett.

Marcia graduated from Neodesha High School, and Emporia State Teachers College.  She was a homemaker.  Marcia enjoyed tending to her flowers, playing the violin and watching KU basketball.  She played the violin with the Hutchinson Symphony for many years and 'The String Group'. Marcia was a member of D.A.R. and PEO Chapter BL.  She enjoyed volunteering as a longtime docent at the Cosmosphere International SciEd Center and Space Museum (formerly the Kansas Cosmosphere).

Christmas was Marcia's favorite time of the year.  She enjoyed decorating her entire house for the holidays and wearing Christmas sweaters.  Marcia and Dick's annual Christmas Eve party was a tradition for friends and family for many, many years. This was second though to celebrating the season with family, especially her four grandchildren.

On August 23, 1963, she married Richard 'Dick' Cooper at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX.  They shared 56 years of marriage before his death December 13, 2019.

Marcia is survived by:  son, Craig Cooper (Trisha); grandchildren, Colin, Mason, Callie, and Marlie Cooper; sister-in-law, Linda Zenor (Larry), all of Hutchinson; and nieces and nephews, Andy Cooper (Ann), Stacie Williams (Sean), Becky Sutton (Tim), and Beth Boxwell (Brent).

She was preceded in death by:  her parents; son, Curt Allen Cooper; and brother-in-law, Dave Cooper and wife, Jane.

Graveside service will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, December 14, 2020, at Memorial Park Cemetery, 5905 W. 4 ^th , Hutchinson, with the Reverend Dr. Kim Biery officiating.  Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Cosmosphere International SciEd Center and Space Museum, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS  67501.