July 2009
OREM — A 4-year-old boy who died Friday after being run over in his driveway was always happy and cheerful, friends say.
"He was the sweetest little boy," said Becky Phillips, a close family friend and neighbor. "He was always full of life, just always happy, always had a smile on his face."
Cooper Kofford had been swimming in his family's backyard pool Friday with 10 to 15 other children who were family members and friends, said Orem Police Capt. Steve Clark.
At some point, Cooper decided to go out front to the driveway and lie on a blanket to soak up the sun, which the children often did.
Cooper's aunt came out to leave at about 2 p.m. and looked around, very aware of the fact that there were children playing in the area, Clark said. However, when she got into her full-size SUV and backed out, Clark said she failed to notice Cooper lying on the side of the driveway.
As soon as the aunt ran over the boy, she realized something was wrong and stopped, got out of the vehicle and immediately family members immediately called 911.
Initially, officers requested a medical helicopter, but when they arrived on scene, they determined it was an obvious fatality and canceled the helicopter, Clark said.
"It appears to be an unfortunate accident," Clark said. "It's a sad set of circumstances."
Cooper Hamblin Kofford (a.k.a. "Coop") Cooper was born October 4, 2004 and returned to heavenly surroundings on July 31, 2009. Quinn Macdonald Kofford and Jana Lynn Worsley Kofford (Orem, Utah. Married 23 years) are blessed to have been Cooper's earthly dad and mom. Cooper is the fifth of six children. He is one of four boys and two girls. Cooper loved his sisters and brothers. He loved climbing into bed and snuggling with his sister, Hunter (13), and loved "playing house" with Kennedy (9). His oldest brother, Carson (12) taught Cooper about baseball. Duncan (7) loved playing legos and swimming with Coop. Lincoln (2) was Coops wrestling mate, car seat buddy, and "partner-in-crime." As his earthly family we are amazed at the depth of our love and respect for Cooper and his impact on our family. We will miss him very much. We have been and will continue to be enveloped by overwhelming feelings of love and gratitude. We are at peace including an absolute blameless recollection of the circumstances surrounding Cooper's last day on this earth. As a family, we have felt the love and support of our extended families, neighbors, friends and the community-at-large; and express our thanks. We have been blessed with clarity of mind and peace of heart and soul which stems from our faith in and knowledge of our Heavenly Father's plan for all mankind, and of Cooper's progression in that plan . . . and its eternal significance for our little family. We are certainly biased toward our son and brother and cannot say enough positive about him or his influence on everyone who knew him or came in contact with him. He was always on the go. At home, he was most comfortable outside . . . usually barefoot and in shorts (or a swimsuit) sometimes even in the winter. He had soft, sun-bleached-blond hair that framed his perfect face and little body and accentuated his amazing deep blue eyes. His two huge dimples (one in each cheek), tan complexion, perfect annunciation of every word and syllable, and his sweet voice (combined with his unique twang) are part of what made him Cooper. He loved to giggle and to make others giggle with him. He loved swimming, riding his bike (training wheels triumphantly removed in May), going to Navajo Lake and Kanab, Utah, and eating otter pops like they were going out of style. He loved taking his brothers for self-made adventures into "Randy's field" or to Betty Jo's "bumpy road." He loved chewing gum which usually only further accentuated his perfect little teeth, ear to ear smile and deep Hamblin dimples. He loved to snow ski, going "faster" in the water tube at Lake Powell, and sleeping wherever and whenever he chose. He loved all of his friends, cousins, aunts and uncles and would interact and immediately engage anyone. He also loved both sets of grandparents (Cree-L and Ila Jean Kofford of Bountiful, Utah, and Steven and Cheryl Worsley of Provo, Utah) and the horses, kisses, Christmas treats and unconditional love they showered on him. We will miss such things as hearing him yell-back "I Love You" as he ran off to play. We will also miss kissing his soft puckered lips, his refusal to eat anything healthy, and his causing havoc in church. We will miss holding his hands (even though the rest of him wouldn't hold still), riding bikes to go get snow cone treats, and just playing and laughing together. If you knew Cooper, you experienced a bit of heaven on earth. As parents and as his family, we are grateful to have been blessed with Cooper. Because of our convictions toward Jesus Christ, we absolutely know with no doubt whatsoever--that we will be reunited with him someday. Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 12:00 noon in the Hillcrest 8th Ward Chapel, 1035 South 800 East, Orem. There will be a visitation from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. prior to the services at the ward chapel. Interment will immediately follow at East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo. In lieu of flowers, we have asked that donations be made to the LDS General Missionary Fund or Primary Children's Hospital.
