Salisbury - Local insurance executive, Billie Mae Cooper, 78, passed away Wednesday July 29, 2015 while working at her beloved business. Billie was a hardworking, generous and kind-hearted mother, grandmother, and friend and will be enormously missed. She was born January 13, 1937 to William E. & Mildred Hickman Greene at the home of her grandparents, Charles & Eva Hickman, in Whaleyville, Maryland. Billie was always proud of her Whaleyville heritage and often told how her grandmother read the bible by oil lantern prior to the family having electricity. After moving to Salisbury, Billie graduated from Wicomico Senior High School in 1954. She received her formal insurance training in Baltimore through a two-year program with The Travelers Insurance Company. Shortly after, she went to work for Elmer F. Ruark Insurance Agency and later purchased the company, changing the name to Cooper-Ruark. With this purchase she became the first female insurance business owner on the Eastern Shore. Her son Donald R. Cooper Jr. joined the company in 1977; together they renamed the business Cooper Insurance Agency, Inc. Her memberships over the years included: North Salisbury PTA, WiHi PTA, Insurance Women of the Eastern Shore, Somerset-Worcester-Wicomico Insurance Agents, Independent Insurance Agents of Maryland, Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and Quota Club. Additionally, she was a member of Whaleyville United Methodist Church and later Asbury United Methodist Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher for several years. She is survived by son, Donald R. Cooper Jr. & wife, Debra of Fruitland; daughters, Debra Ann Lokey of Salisbury and Donna Marie Cooper of Delmar; granddaughters, Laura Leigh Cooper of Fruitland and Angela Lynn Lokey of Salisbury;and several surviving cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents, Charles & Eva Hickman and Robert & Bertha Greene. Billie donated her body to science and requested no formal service. Her request is for all friends and loved ones to hug each other and say all things are possible with Jesus. In addition, she said, she had beautiful flowers while living and instead contributions may be made in her memory to Whaleyville United Methodist Church, 11716 Sheppards Crossing Rd., Whaleyville, MD or Asbury United Methodist Church, 1401 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21801. A Billie M. Cooper memorial scholarship has been established at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc. in her memory. If you would like to contribute to this scholarship, donations will be accepted at CFES 1324 Belmont Ave Suite 401 Salisbury, MD 21804. The scholarship will be for local individuals wanting to pursue a career in insurance but who need financial assistance for classes.