Richard A. Koop

Richard Koop, age 83, passed away on Friday, February 24, 2023 at Community Medical Center in Toms River. He was born in Jersey City on April 27, 1939 to Carmen & Dick Koop and was raised in Secaucus. He served in the United States Army from 1959 to 1961. He lived in Oradell for 37 years where he was on the Police Reserves and Pistol Team. Richard was a faithful and dedicated member of the New Jersey Free Masons for 50 years. He was a member of Oradell Masonic Lodge, Good Samaritan Lodge in Hardyston, and most recently, Kittatinny Lodge in Branchville. During his 50 years, he served in many positions including Master and Grand Chaplain for the State of New Jersey.
Richard worked for Olympic Tire & Supply, which was part of Eastern Freightways in Carlstadt. It is here where he met his future wife when she had a flat tire in the pouring rain and he repaired it. He joined the Army in 1959 and spent 2 years in Fort Sill, Oklahoma before being discharged in April 1961. They were married in October 1961 and he started his own business, Dick's Auto & Truck Repair, located in East Rutherford for many years. In 1998, they retired to Lake Wallkill in Sussex and enjoyed lake life before moving to Whiting 5 years ago.
Richard is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Jewell (Scancerella); his son, Richard Koop and his wife Julie; his daughter, Donna Higinson and her husband Don; and 4 grandsons, Donald and Daniel Higinson and Zachary and Joshua Koop. He is also survived by his siblings, Dolores Gaynor, Loretta Spangler, Janet Zeidler, Carol Ann Niosi and Donald Koop and his wife Lisa; sister-in-law Marie Scancerella; nieces, nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his brothers-in-law Gregg Gaynor, George Spangler, Bill Zeidler, and Neil Scancerella.
Friends may pay their respects to the family on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm at the Kittatinny Masonic Lodge # 164, 336 US Route 206, Branchville, NJ 07826. Masonic Services will be at performed at 6:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children (www.donate.lovetotherescue.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Pinkel Funeral Home, 31 Bank Street (Route 23), Sussex, NJ 07461. Online condolences may be offered to the family on www.pinkelfuneralhome.com.