Jay L. Cooper

Jay Leshen Cooper died Wednesday, 16 February, 2022, at the age of 92 in Raleigh, surrounded by his wife, Barbara, and family.

Jay was born on 29 October, 1929, known as Black Tuesday, the day the stock market crashed, in Brooklyn, New York, to Haskell and Florence (Leshen) Cooper. Jay’s name sometimes appeared as Jacob, even officially, and his family also knew him as Jerry. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1951 with a journalism degree and was soon drafted during the middle of the Korean War, but instead of going to Korea, he was stationed in La Rochelle France, where he put his journalism skills to good use and edited a newspaper for his base.

Jay married Barbara Finkelstein on 12 January, 1958, and raised a family of four children while Jay commuted to Manhattan and worked in advertising. In 1973, they moved to the South, first to Florida, then Alabama, where Jay worked as an advertising manager for the local newspaper. His job came to an end when he refused to sell an ad to the Klan.

Their southern odyssey came to a happy conclusion when they settled in Chapel Hill, where Jay lived with Barbara for the rest of his life. In about 1980, Jay and Barbara founded Professional Press, which helped authors publish their own books. Jay was proud of the fact that they ran the business until he was 90 years old. He published his own memoirs at the age of 90.

Jay is survived by his wife of 64 years, Barbara Cooper, two brothers, Stephen Cooper of Sarasota, Florida, Mitchell Cooper of West Palm Beach, Florida, three sons, Hal Cooper of Chapel Hill, Corey Cooper (Shu Ya) of Hopewell Junction, New York, and Scott Cooper (Julie Ann) of Greensboro, and a daughter, Caren Cooper (Greg Sloan) of Raleigh. Jay is also survived by eight grandchildren: Da Qian Zhang in Beijing, China, Emma Cooper in Brooklyn, New York, Savannah Cooper in Austin, Texas, Jed Cooper in Greensboro, Kyle Jones in Raleigh, Salem Jones in Asheville, Abby Cooper in Los Angeles, California, and Zoe Cooper in Raleigh.

Funeral services and burial will be 1 pm Sunday, 20 February, at the Judea Reform Congregation Cemetery, 2560 Jones Ferry Road, Chapel Hill.

Officiating will be Rabbi Andy Koren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Orange County Animal Services.