John E. Cooper, a retired insurance man and Army veteran, died Sunday from Alzheimer’s disease at Ultimate Residential Care in Northeast Baltimore. The Baldwin resident was 79.

John Edward Cooper, who was born in Baltimore and raised in Hamilton and Arbutus, was the son of John Baker Cooper, and his wife, Lucille Eitze.Cooper.

He attended Catonsville High School and left when he was 15-years-old to help support his family. He began working as a bag boy for Acme Markets, and eventually during his 35-year career rose to floor manager of the chain’s Putty Hill market.

After Acme closed its stores on the Western Shore in the 1980s, Mr. Cooper began a second career in insurance sales working for the United Insurance Co., from which he retired in 2001.

Mr. Cooper served with the Army’s 50th Airborne Signal Battalion from 1963 to 1965 when he was discharged with the rank of sergeant, and remained an active reservist from 1965 to 1969.

The former Parkton resident who had lived in Baldwin for 30 years, enjoyed horseback riding and riding his bike with friends on the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail, also known as the Northern Central Rail Trail, in Baltimore County.

Services are private.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, the former JoAnn Wolff; a son, Christopher W. Cooper of Catonsville; a daughter, Catherine E. Reid of Timonium; a stepson, Les Rogg of Baldwin; two sisters, Sue Gesell of Sykesville and Barbara “Bobbi” Andrews of Woodlawn; and three grandchildren. An earlier marriage to the former Sandra Smith ended in divorce.

fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com