Baerbel Cooper
June 21, 1946 — October 8, 2008
Baerbel Cooper passed away on October 8, 2008 at Frederick Memorial Hospital from complications of pancreatic cancer.
Baerbel was born in Lockstedter Lager, Germany, on June 21, 1946, to Carla Murr Kruse, the third of three daughters.
She was raised in post-war Germany, then traveled to the U.S. as an au pair in 1969. While in the U.S., she met Lee Sharpe and the two were married in October 1972. Baerbel and Lee raised four daughters before divorcing twenty-three years later.
Baerbel worked for the German military as a secretary following her au pair position, then joined the floral business.
She joined Morgan-Keller, Inc. in 1992, working her way up to Human Resources and Safety Administrator. Baerbel had a drive for learning but was never able to attend college in Germany due to lack of opportunity. Using Morgan-Keller's employee tuition reimbursement option, she enrolled in Mount Saint Mary's University, receiving a B.S. in Business Administration in 2005, graduating summa cum laude.
In 2002, she met and fell in love with Harold Cooper and the two were married in August 2005.
She never stayed still; in addition to school, a new love and work, Baerbel found time to be active in the church and community, and enjoyed crocheting blankets for her grandchildren and prayer shawls for church members.
Baerbel is survived by her husband, Harold Cooper; daughter Sonja Sharpe and son-in-law Jeb Keiper; daughter Stephanie Sharpe; daughter Susan Sharpe; daughter Stacey Steinhaus and son-in-law Eric Steinhaus; step-daughter Nicole Weston and son-in-law Glen Weston and step-daughter Kimberly Mahler and son-in-law Timothy Mahler.
She is also survived by her grandchildren Benjamin and Christian Keiper, Alyxandra Hoover, and Olivia and Sophia Weston. Her sister Eike Wengert and brother-in-law Hans Wengert, and nephew Uwe Wengert and niece Marion Munro reside in Germany.
Visitation: See above
Services: A Memorial Service for Baerbel Cooper will be held on Monday, October 13, 2008 at 11:00 AM at Calvary United Methodist Church at West and North Bentz Streets, Frederick in the Sanctuary with a visitation and reception to follow in the Parish Hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be sent to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research at www.lustgarten.org.