A former Monroe County official who was identified with the Greater Rochester International Airport for many years has died.
Sam Cooper died last Friday at the age of 96.
Cooper’s employment with the county goes back more than 50 years, including Airport Director, a position he held from 1972 to 1989. He held a public affairs position with the airport from 1992 to 2016.
Cooper was also a Navy pilot during WWII. His obituary notes that the Brighton native logged over one thousand flight hours through a collection of reconnaissance, patrol and bomb runs with the Navy.
In a statement released Tuesday night, County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo said that Cooper, “was a beloved and outstanding asset to the County of Monroe, proudly serving as the ROC Airport liaison to military programs and assisting with Honor Flight Rochester Welcome Home Ceremonies.”
Dinolfo says that, “There is not a single program or special event at our Airport that Mr. Cooper did not impact during his tenure.”
The ROC Airport canopy was lit ‘sky blue’ Tuesday night in Cooper’s honor.
His family will receive friends at the Harris Funeral Home, 570 Kings Highway South, on Thursday, 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. The memorial service will be Friday, 9:00 a.m. at All Seasons Chapel of White Haven Memorial Park.
