- Walter Thomas Couper, widely known leader in law, business and political circles, died suddenly at his home on Chesnut Street, June 1, 1934. He was 64 years old.
Mr. Couper was the victim of a sudden heart attack. While he had not been in good health for the last 18 months and had slowly been withdrawing from more strenuous activities in Republican politics and business, it was not known that his heart was seriously affected.
Death came suddenly in a room on the second floor of his home as he was preparing to leave for New York City to bring back a son, Frederic, who has been undergoing treatment for injuries suffered while the young man was a member of the Binghamton Central High Football team in 1928. The Couper family had planned to go early next week to the commencement at Elmira College where their daughter, Mary, is an honor member of the graduating class.
Ruth Couper heard her husband fall as he passed from one room to another on the second floor and rushed to his side but he already was dead.
Walter Couper was prominent in the affairs of the Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, the Central YMCA and the Broome County Bar Association. He was widely known in the Republican Party having been assistant corporation counsel in 1917 and having served as Supervisor from the Third Ward for 14 years prior to his retirement on January 1, 1934.
He was born in Morristown, St. Lawrence County on April 13, 1870, the son of Joseph P. Couper and Hannah Wilson Couper. He attended the Ogdensburg Academy and graduated in 1888. He then attended and graduated from Hamilton College in 1892 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and the following year receiving a Master of Arts degree.
He completed his course in law at the University of Minnesota and received his Bachelor of Laws in 1905 and was admitted to practice law in that state the same year.
Walter came to Binghamton in 1908 and was associated with W. J. & F. W. Welsh, one of the leading law firms in the area. He continued with the firm until 1915 when he became a partner. It was then known as Welsh and Couper. Eventually through business partner changes, the firm became Couper, Terry and Turnbull.
He was counsel for the Binghamton Savings Bank and associate counsel for the City National Bank of Binghamton. Walter had held at various times the chairmanship of every important committee on the Board of Supervisors and it was his record of strength and ability in this connection that made him regarded as a key man in this group.
He brought into his service information acquired during years of teaching for four years at Hamilton College after his graduation and as principal of the Boonville High School for five years. Later he served at the head of the department of history in the East High School of Minneapolis MN, while fitting himself for his law career by night study at the University of Minnesota.
He was a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association and Broome County Bar Association. He also belonged to the University Club, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Phi Beta Kappa, Honorary Scholarship Society and Delta Chi.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Delia Williams Couper; daughters Rachel Williams Couper and Mary Williams Couper; sons, Edgar Williams Couper and Frederic Maxwell Couper; sister, Mrs. J. B. Witherhead, Morristown and a brother, Edgar J. Couper of Minneapolis, MN.
Funeral service was held and interment followed in the Couper plot of the Chenango Valley Cemetery, Binghamton, NY.
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1870 - 1934 (64 years)
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