Murrells Inlet - Norman Burrell Cooler, age 83, died Saturday, November 4, 2006 at National Healthcare of Garden City.
Mr. Cooler was born January 3, 1923 in Coosawhatchie, SC a son of the late Ernest and Allene Belger Cooler. He was a Staff Sergeant with the US Army Air Corp serving in WWII at the European Theater, and was an engineer on the B-17 (Flying Fortress). Mr. Cooler was a POW of Germans and received the Purple Heart and the European Campaign Medal. After serving in WWII he became a superintendent at Hunting Island State Park and later moved to Huntington Beach State Park in 1960. He then became the district superintendent in charge of the coastal state parks from 1970 until his retirement in 1977 after 30
years of service. Mr. Cooler enjoyed traveling, outdoor life and had a great love of animals.
He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Russ Cooler in 1987 and by his brother Ernest Wesley Cooler, Jr. and his wife Ann.
Survivors include his son, Karl Cooler and his wife Gail Agett Cooler of Roanoke, VA; daughter, Norma Cooler and her husband Wayne Pierce of Murrells Inlet; brothers, Harold Cooler and his wife Bette of Charlotte, NC, Don Cooler and his wife Helen of Beaufort; sister, Marjorie Campbell of Birmingham, AL; sister-in-law, Sylvia Russ Thomas and her husband Dexter of Beaufort; granddaughter, Courtney Mitchell and her husband Eric of Murrells Inlet; and great grandson, Witt Mitchell of Murrells Inlet and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 9:30 AM Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church. Burial will be 2:30 PM Tuesday at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, SC. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, November 6, 2006 at Goldfinch Funeral Home Beach Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society, 3241 10th Ave. North Ext., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 or to Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, Endowment Fund, PO Box 528, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
(Charleston Post & Courier - Sunday, November 5, 2006)
Norman was the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner of the B-17G #43-38178 (FR-P) that was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group, 525th Bomb Squadron named Seattle Sue. Six crew members were KIA and Cooler and Teller parachuted to capture but survived WW II.
Annual memorial ceremony in Krimice, Czech Republic, to honor American Airmen who perished during the bombing of the Skoda Works in nearby Pilsen on 25 April, 1945.
Video of Ceremony This video courtesy of Wes Cooler, nephew of Norman, taken in Pilsen CZ in May 2013
Mr. Cooler was born January 3, 1923 in Coosawhatchie, SC a son of the late Ernest and Allene Belger Cooler. He was a Staff Sergeant with the US Army Air Corp serving in WWII at the European Theater, and was an engineer on the B-17 (Flying Fortress). Mr. Cooler was a POW of Germans and received the Purple Heart and the European Campaign Medal. After serving in WWII he became a superintendent at Hunting Island State Park and later moved to Huntington Beach State Park in 1960. He then became the district superintendent in charge of the coastal state parks from 1970 until his retirement in 1977 after 30
years of service. Mr. Cooler enjoyed traveling, outdoor life and had a great love of animals.
He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Russ Cooler in 1987 and by his brother Ernest Wesley Cooler, Jr. and his wife Ann.
Survivors include his son, Karl Cooler and his wife Gail Agett Cooler of Roanoke, VA; daughter, Norma Cooler and her husband Wayne Pierce of Murrells Inlet; brothers, Harold Cooler and his wife Bette of Charlotte, NC, Don Cooler and his wife Helen of Beaufort; sister, Marjorie Campbell of Birmingham, AL; sister-in-law, Sylvia Russ Thomas and her husband Dexter of Beaufort; granddaughter, Courtney Mitchell and her husband Eric of Murrells Inlet; and great grandson, Witt Mitchell of Murrells Inlet and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 9:30 AM Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church. Burial will be 2:30 PM Tuesday at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, SC. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, November 6, 2006 at Goldfinch Funeral Home Beach Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society, 3241 10th Ave. North Ext., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 or to Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, Endowment Fund, PO Box 528, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
(Charleston Post & Courier - Sunday, November 5, 2006)
Norman was the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner of the B-17G #43-38178 (FR-P) that was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group, 525th Bomb Squadron named Seattle Sue. Six crew members were KIA and Cooler and Teller parachuted to capture but survived WW II.
Annual memorial ceremony in Krimice, Czech Republic, to honor American Airmen who perished during the bombing of the Skoda Works in nearby Pilsen on 25 April, 1945.
Video of Ceremony This video courtesy of Wes Cooler, nephew of Norman, taken in Pilsen CZ in May 2013
Murrells Inlet - Norman Burrell Cooler, age 83, died Saturday, November 4, 2006 at National Healthcare of Garden City.
Mr. Cooler was born January 3, 1923 in Coosawhatchie, SC a son of the late Ernest and Allene Belger Cooler. He was a Staff Sergeant with the US Army Air Corp serving in WWII at the European Theater, and was an engineer on the B-17 (Flying Fortress). Mr. Cooler was a POW of Germans and received the Purple Heart and the European Campaign Medal. After serving in WWII he became a superintendent at Hunting Island State Park and later moved to Huntington Beach State Park in 1960. He then became the district superintendent in charge of the coastal state parks from 1970 until his retirement in 1977 after 30
years of service. Mr. Cooler enjoyed traveling, outdoor life and had a great love of animals.
He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Russ Cooler in 1987 and by his brother Ernest Wesley Cooler, Jr. and his wife Ann.
Survivors include his son, Karl Cooler and his wife Gail Agett Cooler of Roanoke, VA; daughter, Norma Cooler and her husband Wayne Pierce of Murrells Inlet; brothers, Harold Cooler and his wife Bette of Charlotte, NC, Don Cooler and his wife Helen of Beaufort; sister, Marjorie Campbell of Birmingham, AL; sister-in-law, Sylvia Russ Thomas and her husband Dexter of Beaufort; granddaughter, Courtney Mitchell and her husband Eric of Murrells Inlet; and great grandson, Witt Mitchell of Murrells Inlet and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 9:30 AM Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church. Burial will be 2:30 PM Tuesday at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, SC. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, November 6, 2006 at Goldfinch Funeral Home Beach Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society, 3241 10th Ave. North Ext., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 or to Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, Endowment Fund, PO Box 528, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
(Charleston Post & Courier - Sunday, November 5, 2006)
Norman was the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner of the B-17G #43-38178 (FR-P) that was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group, 525th Bomb Squadron named Seattle Sue. Six crew members were KIA and Cooler and Teller parachuted to capture but survived WW II.
Annual memorial ceremony in Krimice, Czech Republic, to honor American Airmen who perished during the bombing of the Skoda Works in nearby Pilsen on 25 April, 1945.
Video of Ceremony This video courtesy of Wes Cooler, nephew of Norman, taken in Pilsen CZ in May 2013
Mr. Cooler was born January 3, 1923 in Coosawhatchie, SC a son of the late Ernest and Allene Belger Cooler. He was a Staff Sergeant with the US Army Air Corp serving in WWII at the European Theater, and was an engineer on the B-17 (Flying Fortress). Mr. Cooler was a POW of Germans and received the Purple Heart and the European Campaign Medal. After serving in WWII he became a superintendent at Hunting Island State Park and later moved to Huntington Beach State Park in 1960. He then became the district superintendent in charge of the coastal state parks from 1970 until his retirement in 1977 after 30
years of service. Mr. Cooler enjoyed traveling, outdoor life and had a great love of animals.
He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Russ Cooler in 1987 and by his brother Ernest Wesley Cooler, Jr. and his wife Ann.
Survivors include his son, Karl Cooler and his wife Gail Agett Cooler of Roanoke, VA; daughter, Norma Cooler and her husband Wayne Pierce of Murrells Inlet; brothers, Harold Cooler and his wife Bette of Charlotte, NC, Don Cooler and his wife Helen of Beaufort; sister, Marjorie Campbell of Birmingham, AL; sister-in-law, Sylvia Russ Thomas and her husband Dexter of Beaufort; granddaughter, Courtney Mitchell and her husband Eric of Murrells Inlet; and great grandson, Witt Mitchell of Murrells Inlet and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 9:30 AM Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church. Burial will be 2:30 PM Tuesday at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, SC. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, November 6, 2006 at Goldfinch Funeral Home Beach Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society, 3241 10th Ave. North Ext., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 or to Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, Endowment Fund, PO Box 528, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.
Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
(Charleston Post & Courier - Sunday, November 5, 2006)
Norman was the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner of the B-17G #43-38178 (FR-P) that was assigned to the 379th Bomb Group, 525th Bomb Squadron named Seattle Sue. Six crew members were KIA and Cooler and Teller parachuted to capture but survived WW II.
Annual memorial ceremony in Krimice, Czech Republic, to honor American Airmen who perished during the bombing of the Skoda Works in nearby Pilsen on 25 April, 1945.
Video of Ceremony This video courtesy of Wes Cooler, nephew of Norman, taken in Pilsen CZ in May 2013
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