New Gary Cooper memorial dedicated – Bradford County Telegraph

Overall, the event had a great turnout as members of Scorpio, the Gary Cooper Memorial Committee, AMVETS, American Legion, Clay County School District, and Councilman Tony Brown attended.

A rededication ceremony was held at the corner of Peach and Highland Streets to celebrate the nearly completed Gary Cooper Memorial.

Gary Ray Cooper died on November 8, 1968, while serving in Vietnam.

At Keystone Heights High School, Cooper was chosen for All-area and All-conference teams in basketball. He was also selected for football All-conference teams for two years.

Cooper was the class president, K-Club president, and on the student council. He was also voted Best Personality for the Class of 1967.

Gary Ray Cooper died on November 8, 1968, while serving in Vietnam. At Keystone Heights High School, Cooper was chosen for All-area and All-conference teams in basketball. He was also selected for football All-conference teams for two years.

“Beautiful. I’ve been watching it come together. Pictures just didn’t do it justice,” said Cindy Lee, 2nd Vice President of AMVETS.

Currently, the committee is looking for donations to help pay off the Fallen Soldier Battlefield Cross bronze statue.

A previous memorial to Cooper was erected at the former site of Keystone Heights High School’s football field, which later became a playground at the elementary school. Construction of the elementary school’s new cafeteria meant the memorial had to be moved, and a reconstruction committee took the lead in designing and building the new monument.

During the Nov. 9 rededication, Jeff Miller from the Gary Cooper Memorial Committee spoke to the crowd about the honoree and his sacrifice before the committee unveiled the new monument. “He was an iconic student, he was an iconic athlete and an iconic soldier,” Miller said.