The VirtualBoxwell Team is saddened to announce the passing of John Cooper.  John was only on staff one summer in 1991.  However, his impact continues to live.  John had a true love of boats and was responsible for building the Lancaster Pirate ship (floating!) that still sits at CubWorld today.  He also had several younger family members serve on the staff in this same period, including Clint Cooper and Jeremiah Cooper.  John was also a member of Executive Board and an Eagle Scout.  Born in 1946, John grew up in Gallatin, moved to Florida and was involved in the Apollo project. He returned to Gallatin and worked for the TVA, but his true passion was building barges, primarily working replicas of flatboats and keelboats from the 19th century. John passed on March 18 after returning home from open heart surgery. His funeral will be held on the family farm on Gibbs Lane in Gallatin on April 4.  He leaves behind his wife, Gloria, his son Jeremiah and his wife, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

John’s work on the replica boats can be found here: https://cooperflatboats.net

John’s obituary can be found here: https://obituaries.mainstreetmediatn.com/obituary/john-cooper-1093690822

Seen here is John’s Lancaster pirate ship under construction at Parnell Bay.  Photos of John are found at Cooper Flatboats.

Construction of the Lancaster Pirate Ship, 1995, at Camp Light waterfront