COOPER, Mary Elizabeth (Beth/Betty) - Kempt Road, Richmond County, and Sydney, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Monday, January 6, 2020. Beth was known for her belief in and support of youth, her warm hospitality, her love of country living, her beautiful handwriting and written correspondence, and her passion for dancing and live Celtic music. She was an avid Toronto Maple Leafs fan - a dedication that began when she was six years old, listening to Saturday night hockey games on the radio with her mother. She also enjoyed traveling to visit her children across Canada and internationally. Her two favourite places were her home of Cape Breton and her ancestral homeland of Newfoundland. For many years, Beth was an active member of the Canadian Association for Community Living, The Riverdale Credit Union and the Port Hawkesbury Co-op. She was a long-time member of the parishes of St. Francis de Sales, St. Louis (CWL member and president), and St. Joseph, serving as a reader and Eucharistic minister and giving marriage courses. Educated in early life at Constantine School, Sydney Academy, and Holy Angels Convent, Sydney, St. Joseph's Convent, Mabou, and Normal College, Truro, Beth enjoyed playing school Basketball and baseball, tennis and skating. She sang in St. Teresa's Church choirs, Sydney, and trained and performed with the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire, for radio broadcast, hospitals, and outdoor venues. Beth's early teaching years were in Millcreek, East Bay, and Blacketts Lake, substituting at West Mount, Sydney Forks, and Louisdale schools. Beth taught the first Special Education Class established in Richmond County, teaching for 17 years in Arichat, West Arichat, and Evanston. Beth loved teaching children with special needs and thrived on helping her students enjoy a rich array of life experiences. She formed strong and lasting relationships with her students, their families, and communities, and always held a very special place in her heart for 'her children', treasuring how much she learned from them. Beth was born in Sydney to the late Bernard and Anastasia (Somers) Mason. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Carl Mills Cooper (married in 1949), her son, Michael, siblings, Rose, Willie, Margaret (Peter), Ella (Marshal), and Cecil (Marge), and sister-in-law Marguerite (Frank Mason). She is survived by her daughters, Bethalee and Rachael (Danny Neil), and her sons, Mark (Debra), Jamie (Brenda), Carl (Catherine), Brian (Sharon), Donald, Leo (Dorothy), and Thomas; brothers, Frank (Lynne) and Fr. James Mason; by 13 grandchildren: Sam, Anna, Ben, Uriah, Oakley, Matthew, Daniel, Jessie, Clyde, Maria, Katrina, Jacob, and Emily; and by 13 great-grandchildren Riley, Avery, Brodie, Neela, Chase, Coen, Izzie, Kane, Dylan, Emma, Kaiya, Elijah, and Dominic, all of whom brought much joy to her life. Visitation will be in Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury, from 2pm to 8pm on Thursday Jan. 9, 2020. Beth’s funeral Mass will take place on Friday Jan. 10, 2020 at 11am from St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, Lower River Inhabitants, with burial in the cemetery, and reception following at Vincent McCarthy Hall, Lower River. Donations can be made to Covenant House, Toronto, or In-patient Palliative Care Unit, St. Martha's Hospital Foundation, Antigonish. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com Visitation Information Visitation Thursday, January 9, 2020 Visitation Time 2-8 p.m. Visitation Location Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury Service Information Service Date Friday, January 10, 2020 Service Time 11 a.m. Service Location St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, Lower River Inhabitants Burial Information Burial Date Friday, January 10, 2020 Burial Time Following the Funeral Mass Burial Location St. Francis de Sales Parish Cemetery, Lower River Inhabitants