Mattie Lou (Rowland) Burrage Cooper was born May 6, 1927, in Milburn, Oklahoma to Alpha and Eva (Pool) Rowland.  She entered the gates of Heaven on February 11, 2025 at age 97, after spending her final years at Epworth Villa in Oklahoma City.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Alpha and Eva (Pool) Rowland, her husbands, Bill Burrage and E.A. Cooper, her brothers, Enos, Almon, Bay, A.L. and Dr. Herbert Rowland, her sisters Julia Ford, Vern Taylor and Rosa Lee (Sug) Gleeson, her granddaughter Sara Jayne Burrage, and stepdaughter Debbie Cooper Rosenthal.  Mattie is survived by her children, Michael & Aletha Burrage of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Steve and Roberta Burrage of Antlers, Oklahoma, David and Tammie Burrage of Edmond, Oklahoma, Sissy Burrage Holloway of Edmond, Oklahoma, Earl and Mary Lynne Cooper of Norman, Oklahoma, and Jessica Ramey of Nashville, Tennessee.  Drs. Ted and Victoria Rowland of Antlers, Oklahoma, and Dr. Wade Rowland and wife Cindy of Antlers were Mattie's bonus children.

Surviving grandchildren are Sean and Julie Burrage, David and Heather Burrage, Mark and Melissa Burrage, Mike Burrage, Bradley and Railey Burrage, Joe and Jennifer Burrage, Garritt and Tiffany Roussel, Stetson and Leslie Oates, Brad and Jessica Walthall, Michael and Hailey Spencer, Brandie Courtwright, Leslie Rosenthal, Brian and Chelsea Moore, Daniel and Miranda Beatty, and Aaron and Megan Moiser.

Great grandchildren are Truman Burrage, Carter Burrage, Jack Burrage, Blair Burrage, Parker Burrage, Emma Burrage, Brook Burrage, Lauren Burrage, Claire Burrage, Ellington Burrage, Koty and Skylar Frank, Jesse Burrage, Nolan Burrage, Joey Burrage, Tagenn Tidwell, Landry Oates, Blakelee Oates, Cooper Gonzalez, Reese Gonzalez, Larsen Roussel, Fletcher Walthall, Stella Spencer, Georgia Spencer, Cooper Beatty, Archer Beatty, Barrett Beatty, Abby Courtwright, Cheyenne Montgomery, Liberty Rosenthal and Oakleigh Moore .  Great great grandchildren are Spencer Burrage, Corbin Burrage and Beckham Frank.  In addition, there are many nieces and nephews in the Rowland and Cooper families that Mattie loved and cherished, along with all the 4-H kids she mentored.

Mattie was born at home on the farm in Milburn, Oklahoma and she attended Milburn schools.  She, along with her brothers and sisters, worked on the family farm bailing hay, milking cows, plowing fields, and harvesting crops. Her dad treated her just like one of the boys, so she was tough!  She graduated from Milburn High School in 1945 and went to Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma for a year and obtained her Teaching Certificate. At age 19, she followed in her parent's footsteps and taught in the same one room school where they had taught near Hot Springs, Arkansas.  She walked to school, built the fires, cleaned the school, and taught 40 children in grades 1 through 8.  She then moved to Wright City, Oklahoma and taught for one year, then to Bakersburg, Oklahoma and taught three years. During this time, Mattie went back to college each year on weekends, evenings, and summers to renew her Teacher's Certificate.

Mattie married Bill Burrage in July 1949, and they had 4 children, Mike, Steve, David, and Sissy.  She graduated from Southeastern State College in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in Home Economics, and receiving a Lifetime Certificate in Elementary and Secondary Education.  From there, she taught Home Economics in Sherman, Texas from 1953 to 1963.

Mattie's next phase began when she became a single parent and took a job with Oklahoma State University as an Assistant Home Economist, then after one year she was appointed County Home Economist in Pushmataha County with her office in Antlers, Oklahoma.  She later became the Pushmataha County Extension Director.  She met and married E.A. Cooper in 1967 in Antlers, Oklahoma.  E.A. had three children, Debbie, Earl, and Jessica.  Mattie and E.A. worked to blend a family of seven kids ages 2 to 16 long before the term "blended family" became popular.

Mattie enjoyed teaching both youth and adults.  She wrote two state fact sheets on making tablecloths and pleated skirts, started the 4-H County Hall of Fame in 1968, organized the Extension Homemakers County Council Past Presidents Associations, and taught numerous classes for district council meetings, vocational teachers conferences and OSU Days for Women.  Her favorite areas to teach were clothing construction, refinishing furniture, and public speaking.  She retired in 1987.

Mattie was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Antlers and sang in the choir.  She was a member of the Pushmataha County Historical Society, and President of the Pushmataha County Retired Teachers Association and was named VIM of that Association.  She held life memberships in the Oklahoma Educators Association, the National Educators Education and Mothers of OU.  She was also a member of Epsilon Sigma Phi at OSU, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, and a member of the Antlers 20th Century Club.

Mattie was always quick to point out how thankful and grateful she was for the blessings in her life and reminded everyone that God's hand had been both protecting her and guiding her as she made her way.  Mattie was incredibly proud of her children and expected them to succeed no matter what obstacles stood in the way.  It was important to her that they stick together even though they grew up in what some might consider a challenging environment.  Although it seemed a simple thing, she hosted holiday gatherings for the family and insisted on everyone attending.  To her delight, those gatherings are still going strong today and being enjoyed by several generations of her descendants.

Family visitation is Friday, February 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Antlers Methodist Church. Funeral services for Mattie will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the Antlers Methodist Church.  Reverend Timothy Trujillo will officiate.  The pallbearers are Sean Burrage, David Burrage, Mark Burrage, Mike Burrage, Bradley Burrage, Joe Burrage, Stetson Oates, and Jesse Burrage. Interment will follow at Hall Cemetery in Hall Community, Oklahoma.  Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Brown's Funeral Service, Atoka, Oklahoma.

VISITATION FROM 8-3 FRIDAY IN ATOKA AT THE FUNERAL HOME PRIOR TO THE FAMILY NIGHT IN ANTLERS

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO HAVE FLOWERS DELIVERED TO BROWN'S FUNERAL SERVICE, PLEASE DELIVER TO THE CHURCH