Gary Cooper, a native of Thompson Falls, Montana, was a 1959 graduate of Western Montana College with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education with a minor in physical education.
Cooper was a four-year basketball letterman for the Bulldogs earning all-conference and all-district honors for four consecutive seasons. He was the Bulldogs' first All-American in 1959. Conference championships and trips to the national tournament were standard operating procedures for the Bulldogs during Cooper’s four years.Â
He led the Bulldogs in scoring each season and set the school career scoring record with 2,350 points. After his collegiate career ended, he was offered a tryout with the New York Knicks but turned it down to complete his education.Â
With his degree in hand, Cooper would teach and coach at Auburn, Wash., Libby, Mont., Helena, Mont. and Plains, Mont. He returned to his alma mater to coach women’s basketball from 1985-93 and volleyball from 1987 to 1993.
When he retired from coaching, he turned his talents to business. He owned and operated Cooper’s Corner, a convenience store located a block from the Western campus. He sold Cooper’s Corner and opened Rookies, one of Dillon’s first sports bar and restaurant.
He later sold Rookies and retired to Thompson Falls. He passed away September 15, 2021.
