Drury Walls Cooper

Drury W. Cooper III, of Ketchum, formerly of Darien, Connecticut, and Manhattan, New York, passed away peacefully at home on June 5.

Born on Dec. 6, 1929, in New York City to Katherine W. and Drury W. Cooper Jr., Drury led a memorable and fulfilling life. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Jean Moore Cooper, in 2017. Drury attended the Pingry School (football, track) and Rutgers University (track) before serving with U.S. Army Intelligence at the Pentagon. In 1959, Drury joined his wife’s family firm and what would become de Cordova, Cooper & Co. on the New York Stock Exchange. As NYSE Specialists, the firm was responsible for facilitating trading in a group of about 50 companies. Drury eventually became a senior managing partner and retained his exchange membership until the NYSE went public in 2006.

On the East Coast, Drury was an active member of the NYSE Buttonwood Club, Stock Exchange Luncheon Club, Tokeneke Club, Wee Burn Country Club, Short Hills Club and Quogue Field Club. In Idaho, he was a board member of the Sun Valley Ski Club and a founding member of The Valley Club.

Drury met his wife, Jean P. Moore, in Manhattan, where they enjoyed a vibrant social life. The couple married on Oct. 5, 1957, at the Church of the Incarnation with a reception at The Plaza Hotel. They resided in New York City for the first eight years of their marriage where they welcomed their two children, Gordon Walker Cooper and Douglas Drury Cooper. Drury was a devoted father, always supportive of his sons' athletic pursuits. The couple enjoyed nearly 60 years of marriage.

The family home for many years was in Darien, where Drury spent summer weekends playing sports with his sons, including football, baseball and lacrosse or enjoying tennis at Tokeneke Club. Winters included family pond hockey and Drury’s greatest passion—downhill skiing.

Drury, affectionately known as "Coop," began organizing ski trips to the Rocky Mountains in the 1960s for a group of skiing companions. A 1967 visit to friend Harry Holmes in Sun Valley led to Coop and Jean discovering their second home. After a couple of Sun Valley condos, they eventually moved to Gimlet in 1987.

Sun Valley became a magical place for the Cooper family, filled with biking, hiking, fishing and tennis in the summers and skiing in the winters. Coop was known for his enthusiastic après-ski gatherings, often being the last guest to leave. He would begin his evenings with a Dewar's and water and end them with a pipe. His signature phrase, “Hidee Didee,” embodied his spirit of wholehearted enthusiasm and celebration.

Drury shared his love of Idaho generously, inviting both old friends and new acquaintances to visit the Gimlet home. A lifelong athlete, he remained active in tennis, paddle and skiing until three years ago. For over 40 years, Coop was an active ski racer competing on the FIS and U.S. Masters tours and at Sun Valley Ski Club events.

After permanently moving west, Drury and Jean would still return to the New England area once or twice a year to visit friends and family. They never missed attending the Harvard-Yale game, during which Coop always rooted for Yale, his uncle’s alma mater.

As a lifelong Anglophile and British history aficionado, Coop was known for his educating chats on historical European battles. He and Jean delighted in trips to England, exploring estates, castles and museums.

Coop’s mischievous sense of humor was legendary, from pranks on the NYSE trading floor to playful antics with his grandchildren. Above all, Drury adored his family. He was a loyal husband, father and grandfather, spending much of his time caring for and teaching his grandchildren to ski and supporting their sports endeavors. Playing Santa every Christmas was a cherished tradition, bringing joy to friends and family alike with his thoughtful presents and late-night wrapping sessions. Drury balanced work and play, living life to the fullest with a commitment to honesty, principles and standards; values he instilled in his family.

Drury will be dearly missed by his sons, Gordon W. Cooper (Jennifer) of Natick, Massachusetts, and Douglas D. Cooper of Las Vegas, Nevada; and his four grandchildren, Haley W. Cooper (Austin Jones) of Boise, Taylor W. Cooper of Denver, Colorado, Charles C. Cooper of Brooklyn, New York, and Theodore T. Cooper of Natick. He also leaves behind his sisters, Mary Katherine Cooper of Houston, Texas, and Elise Barravechia of Beverly Hills, Florida; and his daughter in law, Susan Cooper Albright (Danny) of Hailey.

Private burial services were held in Ketchum. Donations in Drury W. Cooper III’s memory may be made to the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation or to the Pingry School Athletic Department, 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, NJ, 07920.