Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Gara Cooper was struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic. Sergeant Cooper was a United States Army veteran of World War II. He had been with the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol for 23 years and had been stationed at Marshall.
Survivors
Sergeant Cooper was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-45609A1F- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Gara. Claim this record.
Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Gara is one person.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Cooper gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 23 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Gara Oliver Cooper served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Sergeant Gara Oliver Cooper is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In TX, 657 of 2,421 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27.1% of this state's fallen. That is 27.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, 57 of 95 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Gara Oliver Cooper's cause is highlighted.
How Gara Oliver Cooper Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Gara Oliver Cooper is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Military Service
Gara Oliver Cooper served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit Gara Oliver Cooper’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
94 officers from Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
