2026 Dairy Baby: Cooper Hughes

Published 4:20 pm Wednesday, June 3, 2026

This year’s first June baby is Cooper Hughes, son of Kassandra and Tristan.

Celebrating the first June baby has been a tradition for more than four decades, according to Darlene DeGroot, member of the King-Pierce Co. Dairy Women, because June is National Dairy Month to celebrate dairy farmers and the dairy industry.

June 1 is also World Milk Day, “so we’re hoping baby will drink lots of milk when he can,” DeGroot said.

Along with the honors, the Hughes family received a gift basket of clothes, diapers, toys, books, and more on June 3.

Coincidentally, Kassandra dressed Copper – who came in at eight pounds, two ounces – in a cow onesie because she didn’t know his sex.

Cooper was delivered by Dr. Joseph Magley, who has been at the hospital for 14 years.

“Never got to delivery the Dairy baby, and finally did,” he said. “I’m really excited about it.”

Cooper is the Hughes’ third child, all born at St. Elizabeth Hospital.

“All the nurses have been amazing,” she said, adding that the hospital has a “small town feel.”

“I know a couple of nurses the that I had last night, I played soccer with [them] for years,” Kassandra continued. “… It just feels homey.”