Ronald A. Cooper II

Ronald Andrew Cooper II, 48, passed away Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at Pella Hospital in Pella, Iowa after a lengthy illness.

Ronnie was born on January 12, 1977, to Ronald Cooper Sr. and Ilene Cooper. He had many nicknames including Little Ron, and Andy, to his grandmother, among others. He grew up in Des Moines, where he held many jobs over the years—his favorite was work as a bouncer and security guard at several local bars. He was also a longtime employee of Smiths Painting. Most recently he was employed as a dispatcher for MTM, Medical Transportation Management. He got his foot in the door and worked his way up. He loved his job and made many strong friendships through his work.

Ronnie was a hard worker, putting in the effort to pull himself up and make the most of his situation. He was proud of what he had and always made ends meet. He was generous with his time, money, and affection. Ronnie was trustworthy and loyal and loved hard and unconditionally. He had a great sense of humor and lit up any room he entered. He took pleasure in simple things and was appreciative of all he had. He would give anything to anyone, even if he didn’t really have it to give. He often volunteered his time to help people experiencing homelessness, handing out sleeping bags and propane tanks. He had a passion for helping people down on their luck. He never failed to do the best with what he had. A valuable lesson he instilled in his kids is if you want it, you have to work for it.

Ronald was an avid Minnesota Vikings fan who enjoyed playing video games and riding his motorcycle. He especially loved doing engine work on cars alongside his dad, which inspired him to learn body work, and he won awards for his work. A lifelong tinkerer, Ronald found joy in fixing and building things. Above all else, his greatest happiness came from his family, and he loved his grandbabies more than anything.

He is survived by his children, Curtis Cooper (Amber Collier), Jade Cooper (Kane Halsey), Rylee Cooper, Blake Cooper, and Emmi Swanberg; grandchildren, Daisy, Leo, and Harmony Halsey; father, Ronald Cooper Sr. (Lisa Bettis); mother, Ilene Cooper; brother, Raymond Cooper (Jennifer Cooper); nephew, Austin Cooper (Crystal McCleod); and great-nephew, Hunter Cooper. Ronald is also survived by his closest friends/brothers, Big E and Adam May; his cousin, Tina Barnard who made herself available to help Ronald at a moment’s notice; and a host of other family and many close friends. If you were in Ronald’s large inner circle, you could consider yourself family.

Ronald was preceded in death by his grandparents, Patty and Harold Cooper, and Beulah and Billy Croy.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, December 26, 2025, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Avenue, Des Moines. Funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, December 27, 2025, also at the funeral home, and will be followed by burial at Pine Hill Cemetery.

In honor of Ronald’s love of the Vikings, please wear purple or your favorite Vikings gear.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

“As always, much love and respect.”

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