Roy Cooper in 2014. FILE | WCMESSENGER
Rodeo legend Roy Cooper was found dead Tuesday night after his home on County Road 3051 near Decatur was destroyed in a fire.
The ProRodeo hall of famer and former all-around rodeo world champion was 69.
The fire was reported shortly after 7 p.m. in the 600 block of County Road 3051. The large, one-story home was fully engulfed when Wise County EMS and Decatur Fire Department crews arrived on scene.
Details on what led to Cooper’s death have not been released, with the investigation into a fire at his home continuing Wednesday.
“It is with great sadness that our family shares the passing of our Dad, The Super Looper, Roy Cooper,” said Cooper’s son, Tuf Cooper, in a statement on his Facebook page. “We’re all in shock and at a loss for words from this tragedy at the moment.”
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) also released a statement late Tuesday night sharing their condolences.
“The PRCA and rodeo community mourns the passing of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Roy Cooper in a house fire this evening,” it said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Originally from Hobbs, N.M., Cooper burst onto the rodeo scene by capturing the PRCA calf-roping world championship in 1976, his rookie season. He continued his rodeo dominance throughout the 80s, winning four consecutive PRCA calf-roping titles from 1980-1984 and was the all-around world champion in 1983.
Known as “Super Looper” for his calf-roping skills, the eight-time World Champion Tie-Down Roper continued to rodeo into the 2000s on a part-time basis and was retired by 2016. He received honors from several Texas and Oklahoma-based rodeo halls of fame for his storied career.
In Decatur, Cooper became the patriarch of a dynasty in the sport that some considered the “first family of rodeo.” His sons — Clint, Clif and Tuf — followed in his footsteps and became the first trio of brothers to compete at the 2010 NFR tie-down roping event, achieving several more individual successes, including PRCA world championships and NFR titles. Cooper’s stepdaughter, Shada, is married to fellow ProRodeo Hall of Famer Trevor Brazile, who has the most PRCA World Championships of all time with 26.
Firefighters battled a fatal fire at the residence of Roy Cooper on County Road 3051 near Decatur Tuesday night. BRENDAN MARCHAND | WCMESSENGER
The Wise County Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation into the fatal fire. The Tarrant County Arson Task Force has been brought in to assist. The Tarrant County team is assisting due to the scale of the incident, officials said.
No one else was injured in the fire Tuesday night.
As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, Wise County Fire Marshal Jeff Doughty said he was not able to confirm the identity of the deceased individual at the home.
Sheriff Cary Mellema said Wednesday morning that the Wise County Sheriff’s Office will be involved in the investigation, as well.
“Tarrant County investigators and the arson task force are investigating and that will continue at daybreak,” said Wise County Sheriff Cary Mellema. “We don’t know a whole lot at this point in the investigation. But we will be involved in investigating Mr. Cooper’s death.”
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