Joel F. Cooper

Mr. Joel F. Cooper, age 68, of Pittsfield, passed away Friday, December 3, 2021 doing one of the things he loved best, driving his tractor trailer.
Joel was born on March 3, 1953, the son of the late Frederick E. and Mary J. Jones Cooper. He lived and was educated in the local schools in West Stockbridge, MA, attending Monument Mountain Regional High School.
A professional truck driver by trade, Joel's 50-plus-year career culminated as the owner and operator of Filkins Transportation, Inc., a company that was issued one of the first national ICC "interstate" trucking permits in 1927. He was very proud of the company, providing a high level of service for 30+ years, and there were few things he would rather do than get in the truck and drive.
In his spare time, Joel could be found driving around the Berkshires looking for much-needed truck parts while recalling with great accuracy what family owned what parcel of land from years ago, feeding coal stoves, striking up conversations with complete strangers (including Dwayne Johnson, "The Rock", unbeknownst to Joel), grinding horseradish in enclosed kitchens, helping you to find the best route to go from "A to B", over buying at the grocery store, riding motorcycles with shorts on, and of course, asking waitresses if they knew "What good girls had for breakfast?".
But more than all of this, Joel loved his family, all of them, deeply. He was a truck driver on the outside and a person that cared, smiled and laughed with all his heart on the inside. Joel was immensely proud of his children, what they were doing with their lives, and would tell you so. As a young father, Joel could be found crafting Pinewood Derby cars, attending dance recitals and sport activities, as well as doing backward donuts in icy parking lots in the family station wagon. More recently, he lived to be the consummate grandfather, whether by pretending to be Frankenstein and chasing the grandkids around the yard, taking them for rides in the "big truck", or playfully teasing them with nicknames and jokes that no one really understood. Joel was a big kid, even at 68 years old, and we loved him for it.
Joel and the love of his life, Ann, met at the St. Joseph's High School prom in 1971 and the rest as they say was history. He and his wife of 47 years, were married on December 28, 1974, a day that he never took for granted. He loved Ann for over 50 years, and in that time they would start careers, raise a family, and live a life to be truly proud of. Joel and Ann enjoyed travelling, especially to Cape Cod, Las Vegas, Wisconsin, Arkansas, California and the Dominican Republic.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his two sons, Joel and his wife, Elissa of Carlsbad, CA, Shaun and his wife, Noelle, of Lanesborough, and his daughter, Bethany of Pittsfield. He also leaves his sister, Lorraine Losaw of North Adams, his two brothers, Walter R. Cooper of Pittsfield and Wayne E. Cooper of West Stockbridge and his beloved grandchildren, Reid, Lila, Leah, Emily, Cameron and Cecelia. Additionally, Joel is survived by his aunt, Geraldine Ullrich of Pittsfield and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his brother, Andrew B. Cooper (June 2009) and nephew James T. Cooper (May 2006).
SERVICES: Calling hours for Joel will be this SUNDAY, December 12th at the DEVANNY-CONDRON FUNERAL HOME from 2 to 5 pm. A funeral home service will be MONDAY, December 13th beginning at 10 am with the Deacon Robert Esposito officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made payable to either "Toys for Tots" or to "The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts", and mailed to the Funeral Home at 40 Maplewood Ave. Pittsfield, MA 01201.