Abe Cooper, Jr. was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Raised and surrounded by educators, Cooper attended Dallas ISD schools and graduated from South Oak Cliff High School in 1989 before going on to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree from Paul Quinn College. Cooper followed in the footsteps of his parents and pursued a career in education serving as a Physical Education teacher at K. B. Polk Elementary Vanguard in Dallas ISD for 10 years. During that time, Cooper began his quest for personal and spiritual development and attended the Criswell College of Biblical Studies where he earned a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership in 2004. In 2006, Cooper was enlisted to serve in full-time ministry by the late Dr. Karry D. Wesley at the Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas. Cooper now serves as Senior Pastor of Elijah Fellowship Community Church in Desoto. Cooper is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Lambda Graduate chapter of the fraternity.  He also serves as a board member for TEL International Missionary Society.

A DeSoto resident for more than 22 years, Cooper has been actively engaged in service to the DeSoto ISD school community by volunteering at Desoto West Middle School’s former Male Leadership Program and serving as the DeSoto Eagles Football team’s chaplain. As an active member of the DeSoto community, Cooper plans to focus his work as a trustee on supporting organizational health and wellness with the goal of improving culture to enhance student learning.

Cooper is happily married to his wife, Dionne. The Coopers have one son, who currently attends DeSoto High School and a daughter, a 2019 graduate of DeSoto High School and currently attends Texas Christian University.