Presiding Bishop Dr. Linwood Cooper is a native of Williamsburg County. He is the son of the late Mr. Jeff W. Cooper and the late Mrs. Ada Bell Cooper. Presiding Bishop Dr. Cooper is the eldest of two children. He received an Associates of Arts Degree from Friendship Junior College, Rock Hill, South Carolina and a Bachelors of Art Degree in Social Work from Benedict College, Columbia, South Carolina. He holds a certificate of Evangelism from Eastern Bible Institute, Newark, New Jersey, and a Master of Religion Education from Lighthouse Christian College in Beebe, Arkansas as well as a Honorary Doctrine of Divinity from Good Hope Christian College of Florence, South Carolina, and serves as the Dean of The Believers Bible Institute of Coward, South Carolina. He has a Doctoral of Religion Education Degree, Christian Outreach School of Theology from Fayetteville, North Carolina, Notary Public, and Member of the NAACP, Past President of Benedict Alumni Club of Williamsburg County, a Life time member of Benedict College National Alumni Association and an Ordained Minister. Presiding Bishop has received other honors in various capacities. Some of these honors include Past Worshipful Master of the Pride of Rose Hill Lodge #405, Past Worthy Patron of Esther Chapter #265, 33rd Degree member of The United Supreme Council and a member of King Solomon Consistory #330 of Kingstree, South Carolina, Past Associate Patron of the 6th District Order of the Eastern Star, a past member of the Board of Directors of Dr. Ronald McNair Nursing Center, Commissioner of the Williamsburg County Disabilities and Special Needs serve as Chairman, Past Office of Captain in the South Carolina State Guard, served as Chaplain in 3rd Brigade, 4th Regiment, a member of Unity advisory Board of Williamsburg County, Past member of the Williamsburg County Schools Advisory Council, Williamsburg County Ministerial Alliance, Past Executive Board member of the Coastal Red Cross Chapter representing Williamsburg County, Past Recording Secretary of the 11th Masonic District, Past member of the South Carolina State Department of Social Services Training Team, former Recreation Commissioner of Williamsburg County, and formerly a member of the Board of Directors of the United Way and the Williamsburg Habitat for Humanity Board.
Dr. Cooper is retired form the Williamsburg County Department of Social Services as Economic Services Program Coordinator and the Williamsburg County Disaster Emergency Preparedness as a Community Emergency Response Team Trainer. He currently serves on the Williamsburg County Board of Trustees for District 7. Dr. Cooper is married to Evangelist Dr. Doretha McKnight Cooper, a retired School Teacher for Williamsburg County School and Lee county School Districts. They have one daughter, Evangelist Woodrena Cherise Cooper Segres and one son Pastor Reginald A. Segres Sr. They also have two grandchildren; Reginald Segres Jr. ,Emily Cherise Segres. They have a number of adopted children and grandchildren as well. Dr. Cooper hobbies consist of fishing, hunting, biking, gospel singing, and his newest hobby is golfing when time permits.
Dr. Cooper is retired form the Williamsburg County Department of Social Services as Economic Services Program Coordinator and the Williamsburg County Disaster Emergency Preparedness as a Community Emergency Response Team Trainer. He currently serves on the Williamsburg County Board of Trustees for District 7. Dr. Cooper is married to Evangelist Dr. Doretha McKnight Cooper, a retired School Teacher for Williamsburg County School and Lee county School Districts. They have one daughter, Evangelist Woodrena Cherise Cooper Segres and one son Pastor Reginald A. Segres Sr. They also have two grandchildren; Reginald Segres Jr. ,Emily Cherise Segres. They have a number of adopted children and grandchildren as well. Dr. Cooper hobbies consist of fishing, hunting, biking, gospel singing, and his newest hobby is golfing when time permits.