Dana Cooley

04/06/1947 - 07/12/2026

Dana Cooley, age 79, passed peacefully in St. Matthews, KY, on Sunday, July 12th, 2026.

Born in Lexington, KY, on April 6th, 1947, she graduated from Seneca High School (Louisville, KY) in 1965 and is preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Sylvia (Sizemore) Cole, and her son, Lance Roth Cavagner.

She is survived by her 'sister' Nancy Mitchem; former husband Steve; her daughters Elizabeth Cooley (Chris Stucker) and Michelle (Todd) Luckett; her grandchildren Abby (Morgan) Orr, Kyle (Casie) Luckett, and Roth's daughter, Sydney Weiss (FL); and her great-granddaughter, Lainey Mae Orr.

She enjoyed many hobbies over her lifetime, including gardening, sewing, visiting museums, and traveling. She was a fierce arts advocate and loved art in its many forms, including the Visual Arts, such as painting, textiles, and computer graphics; the Literary Arts, like Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, and the Bible; and the Performing Arts, such as theater, ballet, and cinema. Dana was a devoted volunteer with the Actors Associates, taking on many leadership roles and serving on numerous committees during her more than 10 years of service; she truly cherished the memories and friends she made there.

While Dana lived the majority of her life in Louisville, KY, she also briefly resided in Bowling Green, KY, while attending WKU; Miami, FL, where she worked for the BellSouth phone company; and Reed Springs, MO. While in Missouri, she and her former husband (Steve) worked at Silver Dollar City. During her career in Louisville, she primarily worked in retail at Shillito's/Lazarus, Nanz & Kraft, Macy's, and Target, but she also spent time in the arts, her true passion, at Louisville Visual Arts and Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Dana was a devout Catholic and an active member of Holy Trinity Parish until her health made it impossible to attend Mass in 2018. She continued to practice her faith at every opportunity up to her passing.

A Memorial Gathering is scheduled for Sunday, July 19th, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at the Kentucky Opera Center at 708 Magazine St. A private scattering of her ashes at Cave Hill Cemetery will be scheduled for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Speed Art Museum or the Louisville Zoo in her name.