Jennifer Cooper was born in Glasgow, Scotland on April 9, 1960. Some time after that she moved with her parents to Colorado, where she spent her youth until she moved to Virginia in 1980. She was married to Terence M. Murphy in 1982 and together they have three daughters and a son.
Her passions of life were her husband, children and family. She loved to quilt- though it was something she did for others as was her giving nature. This love of quilting led to many close friendships as well as her employment at G Street Fabrics in Centerville, VA.
She was a devout Catholic who drew her last breath on the Feast of the Assumption while listening to Ava Maria on her rosery CD. Her funeral mass was held at St.Lawrence Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA. She asked that memorials be sent to St Raymond Roman Catholic Church Building Fund, 8900 Triple Ridge Rd., Fairfax Station, VA 22039.
Jennifer was diagnosed with an atypical and very aggressive Carcinoid primary tumor and liver metasteses in July of 2002. The primary was removed and since the metasteses were aggressive it was decided that chemo might be effective in slowing them down. The chemo seemed to be holding its own and her numbers were looking good until one routine test that showed the bottom had fallen out. She had one application of Theraspheres at Johns Hopkins which also seemed to retard the growth in that treated portion of her liver. The race against this assault was doomed when it hit her brain. We then radiated the brain as a comfort treatment and watched as that evil spread next to her spinal cord. It was only when Dr. Ueno said to suspend the Gleevec treatment that my wife even considered that this cause was hopeless... even then she was talking of miracles.
As her disease worsened and the tumors spread throughout her body, her quiet voice became softer and those luminous Irish eyes became brighter. She died in the arms of the angels.
Our original Doctor worked well for us at first in that he agreed to everything Dr. Warner in NY suggested. When it spread to her brain he told her so and to get her affairs in order. He then said that he had done all he could do and left her alone in her hospital bed. We then went with Dr. Ueno who was wonderful in tutoring me on how to let Jen die at home with no discomfort.
Terry and Jen have four teenage children who have inherited their mother's strength. Molly, a college sophomore, Calleigh an entering senior honors student at her high School, her brother, overall Student Body President at his high school and Cara who begins the 8th grade this year. Terry, her husband works in sales at Belfort Furniture. They make their home in Springfield, VA.
She is survived by her husband Terrance M. Murphy, three daughters, Molly K. Murphy (19), Calleigh E. Murphy (17), and Cara C. Murphy (13) and son, Richard William Murphy (17). She is also survived by her mother, Julia M. Cooper of Colorado Springs, CO; sister, Stephanie C. Duffy of Parker, CO; Suzanne E. Cooper, Castle Rock, CO and Amy E. Bowers, Steamboat Springs, CO; brother, Daniel B. Cooper of San Francisco and half-sister, Caroline Cooper of Winchester, VA.