Mary Ellen Cooper Was Resident of East Chop

Mary Ellen (Curme) Cooper, 79, of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully on Monday, June 16, at her home on East Chop. She was born in Charleston, W.Va., to the late George Oliver Curme Jr. and Lillian (Hale) Curme, the third of five children.

Mary Ellen first came to the Island as a four-year-old. She was a summer resident until 1987 when she fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a year-round resident.

Mary Ellen held degrees from Connecticut College and Columbia Teachers College. She was working on her doctorate in nutrition at U.C. Berkeley when she met and married Charles Proctor Cooper Jr. She was a loving mother, an artist, an avid world traveler, a great thinker, a philanthropist and a wonderful friend to many. She is remembered with love by her children, Charles Proctor Cooper 3rd of Atlanta, Ga., Duncan Hale Cooper of South Pomfret, Vt., Amy Harris Reece of Oak Bluffs and Malcolm Arthur Cooper of Westerly, R.I. She is also the beloved grandmother of seven.

A gathering of friends and family will be held at her home on East Chop from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 21. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to one of the following local charities that she supported: Federated Church in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School, Friends of Sengekontacket or the Windemere Van Fund.