Lee Hayes Cooper, beloved Husband, Father and Grandfather passed away on March 23, 2017, at the age of 85. He was born September 22, 1931 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Victor Eugene and Anna Grace Cooper. He graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1954. Lee married Sondra (Sonnie) Emerson, a fellow student, in 1952. After his service in Army Intelligence, they returned to Oxford, Ohio where Lee bought the fledgling Oxford Cycle Center in 1957. In his quest to expand upon his early bike shop success, he found the perfect college town, Fort Collins. He opened the town's first dedicated bicycle shop, Lee's Cyclery, in 1964. The national "bicycle boom" years began in 1965 and he rode this wave until 1971, when he sold Lee's Cyclery to try his hand at real estate. He ultimately became a commercial real estate broker and attained the CCIM designation. Lee was also a long time member and past president of The Sertoma Club of Fort Collins. His love of cycling had him biking regularly with friends and led him on adventures around the world. With Sonnie pedaling by his side, they toured Florida, Hawaii, Arizona, the San Juan Islands, as well as England, France and more. Lee rode solo from Fort Collins to Cincinnati for his 30th High School Reunion. Another highlight was riding his bicycle, self-contained, from coast to coast across the U.S. with his brother, over five consecutive summers, which he completed at the age of 68. Two weeks before his 85th birthday, he rode his recumbent bike, fully costumed, as one of thousands of participants in the Fort Collins Tour de Fat bicycle parade. He was a man of diverse interests: piloting his Cessna, playing tennis, designing and executing wall graphics for local businesses, sailing his boat, and driving his Model A pickup in local parades. Lee was very proud of his four children and relished every success they achieved in their respective endeavors. His children are Victor (wife Lisa) of Littleton, CO; Christy Jacobson (husband Ralph) of Point Richmond, CA; Lisa Runstrom (husband Erik Runstrom) of Fort Collins; and David (wife Elisabeth) of Oakland, CA. Lee is survived by his wife Sonnie, his sister Maria Ward of Cape Cod, MA, his brother Victor Cooper of Vero Beach, FL, his four children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild. A celebration of Lee's life will be held at a later date. The family would like to thank Meals on Wheels for the excellent sustenance and small piece of sunshine they provided Lee in his final days.

Published in The Coloradoan from Mar. 28 to Apr. 2, 2017