Oklahoma City businessman, philanthropist Jackie Cooper dies at 82.
by Adam Wilmoth Published in The Oklahoman: February 28, 2015
Oklahoma City businessman and philanthropist Jackie Cooper died Friday. He was 82.
Cooper founded Jackie Cooper BMW and Jackie Cooper Electronics, but perhaps was best known for his effort to raise money for HIV/AIDS care.
Cooper got his start selling cars at his dad’s Oldsmobile dealership in Yukon when he was 16. He took over the shop five years later.
Cooper and his wife, Barbara, in 1991 helped start Red Tie Night, which benefits the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Their son Jerry died of AIDS two years earlier.
“The Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund wouldn’t exist without Jackie and his family,” fund President David Chansolme said Friday. “They have taken this organization and made it into the biggest fundraiser in Oklahoma. This organization has grown into a very powerful tool in the fight against HIV across Oklahoma.”
The 23rd annual Red Tie Night is scheduled for March 7. The event has raised more than $1 million each year for the past several years.
The foundation began at a time when AIDS was not known or understood.
“It was a brave and courageous thing for Jackie and Barbara to start talking about AIDS in the straight community and to start promoting educational awareness of it to people in Oklahoma City who knew nothing about it,” said Toni Wizenberg, who helped found Oklahoma AIDS Care with the Coopers. “Jackie was tenacious and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Cooper also helped behind the scenes, Wizenberg said.
“He would see a need and would very quietly have that met, not asking for any recognition for it,” she said. “He just took care of it.”
by Adam Wilmoth Published in The Oklahoman: February 28, 2015
Oklahoma City businessman and philanthropist Jackie Cooper died Friday. He was 82.
Cooper founded Jackie Cooper BMW and Jackie Cooper Electronics, but perhaps was best known for his effort to raise money for HIV/AIDS care.
Cooper got his start selling cars at his dad’s Oldsmobile dealership in Yukon when he was 16. He took over the shop five years later.
Cooper and his wife, Barbara, in 1991 helped start Red Tie Night, which benefits the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Their son Jerry died of AIDS two years earlier.
“The Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund wouldn’t exist without Jackie and his family,” fund President David Chansolme said Friday. “They have taken this organization and made it into the biggest fundraiser in Oklahoma. This organization has grown into a very powerful tool in the fight against HIV across Oklahoma.”
The 23rd annual Red Tie Night is scheduled for March 7. The event has raised more than $1 million each year for the past several years.
The foundation began at a time when AIDS was not known or understood.
“It was a brave and courageous thing for Jackie and Barbara to start talking about AIDS in the straight community and to start promoting educational awareness of it to people in Oklahoma City who knew nothing about it,” said Toni Wizenberg, who helped found Oklahoma AIDS Care with the Coopers. “Jackie was tenacious and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Cooper also helped behind the scenes, Wizenberg said.
“He would see a need and would very quietly have that met, not asking for any recognition for it,” she said. “He just took care of it.”
Oklahoma City businessman, philanthropist Jackie Cooper dies at 82.
by Adam Wilmoth Published in The Oklahoman: February 28, 2015
Oklahoma City businessman and philanthropist Jackie Cooper died Friday. He was 82.
Cooper founded Jackie Cooper BMW and Jackie Cooper Electronics, but perhaps was best known for his effort to raise money for HIV/AIDS care.
Cooper got his start selling cars at his dad’s Oldsmobile dealership in Yukon when he was 16. He took over the shop five years later.
Cooper and his wife, Barbara, in 1991 helped start Red Tie Night, which benefits the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Their son Jerry died of AIDS two years earlier.
“The Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund wouldn’t exist without Jackie and his family,” fund President David Chansolme said Friday. “They have taken this organization and made it into the biggest fundraiser in Oklahoma. This organization has grown into a very powerful tool in the fight against HIV across Oklahoma.”
The 23rd annual Red Tie Night is scheduled for March 7. The event has raised more than $1 million each year for the past several years.
The foundation began at a time when AIDS was not known or understood.
“It was a brave and courageous thing for Jackie and Barbara to start talking about AIDS in the straight community and to start promoting educational awareness of it to people in Oklahoma City who knew nothing about it,” said Toni Wizenberg, who helped found Oklahoma AIDS Care with the Coopers. “Jackie was tenacious and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Cooper also helped behind the scenes, Wizenberg said.
“He would see a need and would very quietly have that met, not asking for any recognition for it,” she said. “He just took care of it.”
by Adam Wilmoth Published in The Oklahoman: February 28, 2015
Oklahoma City businessman and philanthropist Jackie Cooper died Friday. He was 82.
Cooper founded Jackie Cooper BMW and Jackie Cooper Electronics, but perhaps was best known for his effort to raise money for HIV/AIDS care.
Cooper got his start selling cars at his dad’s Oldsmobile dealership in Yukon when he was 16. He took over the shop five years later.
Cooper and his wife, Barbara, in 1991 helped start Red Tie Night, which benefits the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund. Their son Jerry died of AIDS two years earlier.
“The Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund wouldn’t exist without Jackie and his family,” fund President David Chansolme said Friday. “They have taken this organization and made it into the biggest fundraiser in Oklahoma. This organization has grown into a very powerful tool in the fight against HIV across Oklahoma.”
The 23rd annual Red Tie Night is scheduled for March 7. The event has raised more than $1 million each year for the past several years.
The foundation began at a time when AIDS was not known or understood.
“It was a brave and courageous thing for Jackie and Barbara to start talking about AIDS in the straight community and to start promoting educational awareness of it to people in Oklahoma City who knew nothing about it,” said Toni Wizenberg, who helped found Oklahoma AIDS Care with the Coopers. “Jackie was tenacious and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Cooper also helped behind the scenes, Wizenberg said.
“He would see a need and would very quietly have that met, not asking for any recognition for it,” she said. “He just took care of it.”
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