from The Republican (Danville, Hendricks County, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, February 7, 1901--page 8, column 3:
Willie R. Cooper was born April 22, 1877. Died February 4, 1901, age 23 years, 9 months and 12 days. He was converted and united with the Cherry Grove M.E. church at the age of 11 years. Was superintendent of the Sunday school for the last three years. He was admitted to the bar in 1899, being the youngest member of his class. He knew for some time that he could not recover and made every arrangement of his affairs before death. Through all his suffering he was never heard to murmur or complain and his faith in God never faltered. He was not afraid to die and said he was glad to go. He was always cheerful and would often sing when confined to his bed. At one time he sang “The Home of the Soul.” Then he called his sister to his bedside and said: “Eva, help me to sing 'The Vale of Beulah.'” On his death bed he tried to sing, “It Pays to Serve Jesus.” If it be true that we live in deeds, not years, Willie had lived more than most, for his was rarely a beautiful and useful life. He possessed all the noble character, for he was honest, kind and true, in all the relations of life. He will be missed in the church and league, of which he was a devoted member, in the social circle by his many friends, and around the hearth stone by a bereaved family consisting of a lonely mother, three sisters and ten brothers. His father, S.T. Cooper, preceded him only a few short weeks. The funeral services were conducted at Cherry Grove by Revs. Ake, of Belleville, and Lewis, of Greencastle, Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock with interment in the Stilesville cemetery.