Danville’s memorial gets an update 54 years in the making: James Cooper's name joins others lost while serving others. On May 13, 1970, Cooper was shot and killed in his office at the Danville V.A. Hospital while speaking to his wife on the phone.
DANVILLE - Nearly 55 years after his death, a former Marine and Veterans Affairs hospital worker who was killed on the job will finally be recognized alongside others who died while serving their communities. On Saturday morning, the name of 45-year-old James Cooper will be added to the Workers Memorial Day monument during a ceremony at 9 a.m. outside Kruger-Coan Funeral Home in Danville. Illinois State Sen. Paul Faraci is scheduled to speak at the event, which joins hundreds of similar Workers Memorial Day observances taking place nationwide.
Dale Cooper and his wife Kathryn at a social gathering
Photo provided
For Jeff Cooper, it’s a moment long overdue. His father’s name was mistakenly omitted from the memorial years ago, even though the circumstances of his death are as stark a reminder as any of the dangers workers can face, even in places presumed safe. On May 13, 1970, James Cooper was shot and killed in his office at the Danville V.A. Hospital while speaking to his wife on the phone. A former patient walked in unprovoked and opened fire, also killing the hospital chaplain, Rev. Gerhard Leverenz, and laundry superintendent Bessie Mealer before taking his own life following a police chase. Both Leverenz and Mealer have long been memorialized at the Danville site. Cooper’s name will now finally join theirs. “Mr. Cooper was an American hero who served our country overseas and continued to serve here at home,” said Kevin Sage, President of the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council. “His death was an absolute tragedy and adding his name to this memorial is something that is long overdue.” James Cooper had devoted his postwar life to helping others, first in military service in the Pacific during World War II and later as Director of Volunteer Services at several VA hospitals. He had just moved to Danville with his wife and three sons the year before his death, hoping to be closer to family. “Dad came from a humble background and believed in helping people, especially those in need,” Jeff Cooper said. “He was a wonderful father and husband.” Jeff, now in his 60s, was only 13 when his father died. His older brother Steve was serving in the Navy at the time. The brothers still live nearby, and Jeff often passes the memorial where their father’s name will soon be etched.
In 2023, more than 5,200 workers died from on-the-job injuries in the United States, and an estimated 6,000 others suffer injuries or illnesses each day due to unsafe conditions.
The ceremony comes as part of a broader effort to renew attention to worker safety and the legacy of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which was signed into law on April 28, 1971. That law, won through years of labor activism, was intended to guarantee every worker a safe job. Yet despite decades of progress, dangers persist. In 2023, more than 5,200 workers died from on-the-job injuries in the United States, and an estimated 6,000 others suffer injuries or illnesses each day due to unsafe conditions. Labor advocates point to chronic underfunding of job safety agencies and legislative threats to reduce protections as ongoing concerns. In Danville, the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council recently assumed stewardship of the memorial after a period of inactivity. The group aims to restore the monument’s role as a place of remembrance and education — not only honoring lives lost, but urging continued vigilance in the fight for safer workplaces. For those who gather Saturday, the event is not just about the past. It’s about a promise — that no sacrifice in service to others is forgotten, and that every worker deserves to come home safely.
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