Dr. L.W. Cooper, 83, died January 29, 2010 at MDI Hospital in Bar Harbor, ME. He was born May 24, 1926 in Damariscotta, ME, the son of Winfield and Kathleen (Bubar) Cooper.
Dr. Cooper devoted 40+ years to MDI Hospital, the people of Bar Harbor and the Mt. Desert Island area. He was a truly gifted physician and surgeon, with a unique sense of humor, razor-sharp wit, wisdom and a common-sense intelligence. His ability and career as a doctor of medicine became legendary and bordered on brilliance, possibly the last of a kind in this age of specialists. Dr. Cooper’s talents and knowledge as a well rounded family practionier, specializing in general surgery was well known. Doctors with his complete and total knowledge and ability to care for the entire patient are rare. He truly loved his patients and gave his life to his practice. A unique man, while his humbleness would never allow himself to say or even think it….Lew Cooper was M.D.I. Hospital for many years! His magnetic personality and amazing talents, helped attract many top-notch doctors and nurses to the M.D.I Hospital area. While his talents showed that he didn’t need to take a back-seat to any other doctor or specialist, he showed a tremendous respect for his colleagues in the medical profession. He truly appreciated the nurses, by giving them credit as the ones who really knew what was going on and how a patient was doing. He was always quick to recognize someone else’s talents and abilities…when in truth, he could have shown practically every “Young Gun” that came along, what a capable and talented doctor looked like!
He graduated from Lincoln Academy in 1943, was a member of Bates Navy V12 during WWII, Graduated Bowdoin College 1945, Tufts Medical School 1949, and Surgical Post Graduate Maine Medical Center 1951.
Dr. Cooper was a member of the Masons, Chapter, Commandery, Shrine, Jesters, American Medical Association, Maine Medical Association, Hancock County Medical Society, Fellow American College of Surgeons, New England Society Obstetrician and Gynecologist , Society of Gynecology and Laparoscopy , Medical Examiner State of Maine, Warrant Committee Town of Bar Harbor, Staff Mt. Desert Island Hospital, President of Staff, Chief of Surgery, Trustee MDI Hospital, President Hancock County Medical Society, Director of Bar Harbor YMCA, Director Bar Harbor Savings & Loan Association, member of Bar Harbor Police Reserves, Founder and Medical Director MDIH Oncology Service, American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, member of founding group and secretary of Bar Harbor High School Booster Club, member of founding group and secretary of MDI Child Guidance Association, Athletic team physician for Portland High School and Bar Harbor High School, initial instructor of American Red Cross First Aid Course in Bar Harbor, co-founder of Medical Associates 1965 and president. The MDI Hospital Operating Room was dedicated to Dr. Cooper in 1993, and the former Medical Associate Building was re-named the Cooper-Gilmore Health Center in 1998.
Llewellyn is survived by two sons; Robert D. Cooper and his wife, Alice of Bar Harbor and James W. Cooper and his wife, Marva of Arizona; one daughter, JoAnn C. Sawyer and her husband Clifford of Yarmouth; daughter-in-law, Carlene Cooper of Cape Elizabeth, grandchildren, Brooke, Brett, Christian and Andrew Cooper; Benjamin, Brenton and Kaitlyn Sawyer and one great-granddaughter, Olivia Lorin Cooper; as well as many nieces, nephews, and a beloved companion, Julie Grindle.
He was predeceased by his wife, Pauline (MacMackin) Cooper, mother-in-law, Oletha MacMackin, a son, Thomas L. Cooper, MD and a granddaughter, Lorin Cooper.
Visitation will be held 4:00-6:00PM, Friday, February 12, 2010 at Jordan-Fernald, 48 Eden St., Bar Harbor. Funeral services will be held 2:00PM, Saturday,February 13, at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church. Spring interment will be at Ledgelawn Cemetery, Bar Harbor.
Contributions in Dr. Cooper’s memory may be to the MDI Hospital Oncology or Operating room, PO Box 8, Bar Harbor, ME 04609.
Condolences may be express at www.jordanfernald.com