I am posting to the blog he shared with my mother Susan during their travels to announce that David G. Cooper died on April 4, 2018 of Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis that he contracted by being in downtown Manhattan in the hours following the 9-11 attack.
John David Griswold Cooper, Sr, father, husband, friend and mystic, was known as “David” to everyone. David’s battle with IPF started with his diagnosis in 2012.
After diagnosis, David described, with frustration and sadness, downtown Manhattan after 9-11 as being like a nuclear winter, everything covered in thick white dust.
David was kind, gentle, soft-spoken, curious, knowledgeable, reflective, quick-witted, and tenacious, all his qualities wrapped in a deep, contemplative spirit. My dad came from modest beginnings, attending a two-room schoolhouse in Colebrook Connecticut. We would often visit Colebrook duing my childhood, exploring the pond, swimming hole, and town where my father always felt some roots.
My dad went on to become a lifelong learner, graduating from Gilbert High School in Winsted Connecticut, then from Lehigh University, and receiving graduate degrees from Pace University, Teacher’s College at Columbia University, and the University of Arizona. David was active in the Osha Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Tucson, Az and Asheville, NC.
Dad kept a daily meditation practice through decades of his life, writing that meditation helped him him to learn just how much of his thoughts were ego and helped him to find a space that moved beyond that noise. He loved music, especially Jazz and often listened with exuberance. My dad and I often shared and talked about topics close to meditation and spirituality, and we shared some similar tastes in music. He introduced me to Crosby, Stills and Nash when I was young, and I have never been able to listen to them since without feeling his presence.
A quiet leader, it was easier for David to share or give credit than it was to accept credit. Though he rarely told anyone, he served in leadership almost everywhere he went, including as President of his Fraternity, Alpha Sigma Phi, for the Institute of Noetic Sciences, on various church committees and on the board of almost every building or home association where he lived. He had an unassuming way of inspiring others as a leader, something that grew more beautiful and masterful to me as I learned more about leadership myself.
David is survived by wife Susan, children Payson and John, and in-laws Chris and Sutton as well as many dear friends and other family.
Our family wishes to recognize and thank the incredible staff at Wissahickon Hospice at UPenn Medical, who kept David comfortable towards his end. David fondly called Wissahickon “Kiss a Chicken” when he couldn’t remember the proper name; David loved puns and wordplay and his humor was often sneaky, clever and surprising.
Our family is planning a memorial at the Colebrook Congregational Church in David’s hometown of Colebrook Connecticut, on Saturday October 20th, 2018 at 11am. As the date approaches, more details will be available here on this blog that David and Susan kept during their travels. For family, friends and acquaintances, David has a memorial Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DavidCooper/
Memorial contributions can be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60611 in David’s name. Contributions can be made online at https://pulmonaryfibrosis.donorpages.com/Tribute/DavidCooper/.
