Samuel Spriggs Payne Cooper

Sunrise: June 30, 1929
Sunset: July 2, 2026

The Cooper and Payne families regret to announce the home-going of Samuel Payne Cooper, our beloved father, uncle, brother, cousin, and friend. This sad event occurred in Philadelphia, PA on July 2, 2026 after a short period of illness.

Sam Payne leaves to mourn his loss his children James (Skippy), Rudolph, and Catherine (pre-deceased by his son Dwight Cooper); Aunts – Elsie and Frances; Siblings – Adriana, D’Arcy, Getrude, and Emma; other family members to include cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-children, great grandchildren, and a host of relatives and friends in Liberia, Ghana, and the United States. He was dearly loved, cherished, and will be sorely missed.

Contact:

James Cooper (USA) 404 395 7384
Rudolph Cooper (USA) 224 656 4948
Georgia Howard (USA) 443 904 4150
Catherine Cooper (USA) 215 285 3326
Fred Cooper (USA) 215 390 7151
Mildred Reeves (Liberia) 231 8 8651 1286

Tributes:
10am – 11am Saturday August 1, 2026

Fellowship Christian Church
6101 West Oxford Street
Philadelphia, PA 19151

Funeral Service:
11am – 1230 pm Saturday August 1, 2026
Fellowship Christian Church

Repass:
Immediately following the funeral service at the hall of the Church.

Hotel – self arrangements

1. Philly Inn & Suites

Location: 4444 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Distance/Time: ~3 miles north (about a 10-minute drive) from the church.

2. Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia City Avenue

Location: 4100 Presidential Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Distance/Time: ~3.5 miles north (approx. 12-minute drive).

3. Homewood Suites by Hilton Philadelphia-City Avenue

Location: 4200 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Distance/Time: ~3.5 miles (approx. 12-minute drive).

LIFE SKETCH – Samuel Spriggs-Payne Cooper

Samuel Spriggs Payne Cooper was born in Monrovia, Liberia on June 30th, 1929 to Jesse Reed Cooper and Ms. Georgia Payne. He was raised partly by his grandmother Catherine Washington Payne in Clay Ashland and Virginia.  He attended the College of West Africa and graduated in 1950. In 1951 he travelled to the United States and enrolled at Tuskegee University in Alabama for one year and later transferred to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. During his time at Cornell, he pledged to the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and a Master’s Degree in  Business Administration from Cornell University.

He returned home to Liberia in 1957 and began work at the Department of Agriculture and where he served briefly as General Manager of the Liberian Agricultural Credit Corporation.

He later served as Under Secretary (Deputy Minister) of the Department and represented the Republic of Liberia at many international conferences during the William V. S. Tubman administration.

In 1971, he left the Department of Agriculture and returned to private life and operated his farm in Bamboo Town, Virginia. In 1972, he enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia where he earned a Bachelor of Law Degree. Thereafter, he entered into the Liberia Bar Association as Attorney and subsequently as Counsellor-at-Law. In 1976 he was appointed as a Judge by then President William R. Tolbert. He resigned in 1979 and returned to his farm.

In 1989, he immigrated to the United States, initially settling in Brooklyn, New York and subsequently in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  In both locations, he provided private legal advice to select clients.

Sam Payne was a member of many social and professional organizations. He was a founding member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Chapter in Liberia. He followed the family tradition to become a member of the Ancient Order of Freemasons (Prince Hall) and the Eastern Star. He obtained the 33rd Degree and ascended to Worshipful Master of St. Paul Lodge in Clay Ashland and a member of the Grand Lodge of Liberia.

Samuel  Payne was an avid sportsman.  As a young man, he played soccer (football) with the Invisible Eleven (I.E.) club. He was a prolific swimmer and an excellent marksman.

At Cornell he played on the American Football Varsity team and was a member of the swimming team. He was also a lawn tennis champion.  In Liberia, he was a principal member of the horse-riding club and earned a private pilot license.

Samuel Spriggs Payne Cooper passed away on July 2, 2026, two days after his 97th Birthday. He leaves to mourn his loss, his children; James, Rudolph, and Catherine – his son Dwight predeceased him; ten grandchildren: Sowonee, Anna, Aisha, Jayme, Kayonnoh, James, Jandii, Kaitlyn, Jaryee and Kenya; five great grandchildren: Joseph, Terene, Marisha, Niama, and Halima; two Aunts: Elise and Frances; four siblings: Adriana, D ‘Arcy, Gertrude, and Emma; many cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces/nephews, and a host of relatives and friends in Liberia, Ghana, and the United States.