Ms. Gina Rochelle Cooper was born on February 19, 1962 in Opelika, Alabama to the proud parents of Dr. James W. and Mrs. Janyce Strickland. She received her fellowship with Christ at an early age and was Christened in the Methodist Church at St. Luke AME Church, Opelika, Alabama. While living in Opelika, she attended St. Luke and St. Paul AME Churches. Her parents were career Air Force and she traveled extensively throughout her young life having lived in six different states and attended several different schools. She made Colorado her home in 1976 where she graduated from Hinkley High School and attended Colorado State University. Gina was an outgoing friendly person who easily made friends. She starred on the Hinkley Blue Wings Pom squad and was an avid member of the drama clubs at several of the schools she attended. Her southern drawl coupled with her Colorado laugh and a facsimile of her mother's smile will surely be missed by all who knew her. She leaves to mourn her father and mother, James W. and Janyce Strickland of Dublin, Georgia; Two loving brothers, Richie (Tonya) Strickland of Centennial, Colorado and Roderick Strickland of Bainbridge, Georgia.
Her heart and soul was devoted to her son, Shelvy Cooper Jr. (CJ), her daughters, Whitney Cooper and Tiffany R. Cooper, all of Aurora, Colorado, three grandsons; Jayven and Shelvy III of Texas, Mateo Cooper of Aurora and one granddaughter, Emory Cooper of Aurora, Colorado. She also leaves to mourn her devoted play sisters, Darinda Nash, Wendy Williams and Denyse Lewis of Aurora, Colorado, several aunts and uncles in California and Alabama and a host of other relatives and friends.