Oklahoma State University Athletics
Longtime Team Physician “Doc” Cooper Passes Away
February 15, 2017 | General
STILLWATER – Longtime Oklahoma State athletics team physician Donald "Doc" Cooper passed away today. He was 88 years old.
Cooper was the director of the OSU student health center and served as OSU's athletics team physician from 1960-1998. During his time with the Cowboys, he enjoyed nine NCAA team titles.
A captain in the United States Air Force from 1954-56, Cooper was considered to be a pioneer and a leader in the treatment of athletic injuries and in addition to his role at OSU, served as the team physician for the United States Olympic Team at the 1968 Mexico City games.
Inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1998, Cooper was a founding member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and served on numerous special committees during his career, including the President's Council for Physical Fitness under both Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
He was involved at church, serving as both a deacon and an elder, and after he retired from medicine, he pursued his passions of playing golf and following OSU Athletics.
A native of Columbus, Kansas, Cooper was married to his wife Dona for 66 years. He is survived by her, his four children - Chip and his wife Peggy; Cathy Fowler and her husband Roge; Sheri Conway and her husband, Kevin and Tad and his wife, Sarah and his eight grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to OSU's Dr. Donald L. Cooper Sports Training Scholarship Fund. Please make checks payable to the OSU Foundation.
Cooper was the director of the OSU student health center and served as OSU's athletics team physician from 1960-1998. During his time with the Cowboys, he enjoyed nine NCAA team titles.
A captain in the United States Air Force from 1954-56, Cooper was considered to be a pioneer and a leader in the treatment of athletic injuries and in addition to his role at OSU, served as the team physician for the United States Olympic Team at the 1968 Mexico City games.
Inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1998, Cooper was a founding member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and served on numerous special committees during his career, including the President's Council for Physical Fitness under both Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
He was involved at church, serving as both a deacon and an elder, and after he retired from medicine, he pursued his passions of playing golf and following OSU Athletics.
A native of Columbus, Kansas, Cooper was married to his wife Dona for 66 years. He is survived by her, his four children - Chip and his wife Peggy; Cathy Fowler and her husband Roge; Sheri Conway and her husband, Kevin and Tad and his wife, Sarah and his eight grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to OSU's Dr. Donald L. Cooper Sports Training Scholarship Fund. Please make checks payable to the OSU Foundation.
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