Cooper – Carley Rose-Marie Cooper Born December 15, 1925 – Deceased July 4, 2023
Carley was born in true old fashion way, at a neighbor’s farm near Sidewood, Saskatchewan. She grew up on the family ranch near Tompkins, Sask. and from a young age Carley possessed a deep love for the western way of life and a passion for horsemanship, a trait she inherited from her mother Rose. She fondly recounted how they rode most places including to school, dances and the neighbors where much fun and fellowship was had. Over the years Carley worked different jobs to help with the income, one of the earliest being in 1942 as part of a 3-girl threshing crew for a neighbour. From there she came up to Bassano, AB and worked in the Café and then on a local farm. In 1943 at the age of 17, she went to Toronto, Ont to work at the small arms factory where they manufactured the Lee Enfield rifle and a piece for the Bren gun. In 1945 her beautiful daughter Christie was born. They resided in Tompkins for a few years and then in 1949 they moved back out to the Coulee and Steve Schmidt joined the family as Carley’s life partner. It was around this time that Carley’s love of horses became her life’s work. In 1954, she drove to Lewistown Montana and bought her first Arabian stallion, and so began Hidden Valley Arabians. Carley was a chartered member of the first Arabian Horse Association, Canadian Arabian Horse Registry, and the International Partbred Registry. She was most proud of helping to start the three Saskatchewan Associations and several Light Horse shows. For 35 years she enjoyed raising foals, showing horses, traveling and meeting friends. During this time a special friendship grew between Carley and the three “MacLean girls” as she often referred to them, Sharon, Donna and Rena. Their friendship, united by their love of horses took them on many adventures, as far as the U.S. Champion Arabian Show in Albuquerque, NM in 1991. Carley kept in close contact with her Montana cousins, making many trips to the States to visit over the years. In her later years Carley moved to Brooks and eventually to Bassano to be closer to family. She enjoyed many phone calls and visits from her family and friends and even the occasional crib game where she would laugh with glee when she skunked you! Carley’s grandchildren and great grandchildren remember her as the free-spirited GG. They would look forward to summers visiting her ranch and racing across the coulee hills on horseback. Carley’s passion and love for horses lives on in her family. She was predeceased by her beloved grandad Alfred, grandmother Elizabeth Olsen Heffer, mother Rose Heffer Cooper, father Carlton Ward Cooper brother Athlone (Lea) Cooper, her life partner Steve Schmidt and her daughter Christie Countryman. She is survived by her son-in-law Bruce Countryman; granddaughters, Holly Fellhauer (Mike), Diana Peters (Travis); 4 great grandchildren, Daniel (Jenny, Able and Amira) and Garnet Fellhauer and Carley and Cody Peters. Carley’s family will be taking her home to her beloved coulee as her final resting place later in the summer.
Cremation is entrusted to and conducted at
Smith Funeral Home Ltd., Brooks
Funeral arrangements entrusted to:
SMITH FUNERAL HOME LTD.
BROOKS, ALBERTA
Condolences may be forwarded through www.sfh.ca
Telephone 403-362-4636 or Toll Free 866-362-4652
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