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BORN
1947
DIED
2021
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JOHN COPPOLA Obituary
JOHN FRANCIS COPPOLA
John Francis Coppola of Washington, DC died February 14, 2021. Mr. Coppola was a foreign service officer in Mexico, El Salvador, and Tunisia. For USIA he managed a worldwide traveling exhibitions program and directed US participation in several world's fairs. An artist and museum professional, he retired from the Smithsonian Institution as Director of the Office of Exhibits Central. He continued to consult in the arts and museum management, primarily for Latin American and Middle Eastern museums. He was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Advisory Board for the Institute of Library and Museum Sciences, was an active Board member of the Friends of the Art Museum of the Americas and served as an advisor to the Stonewall National Museum and Archives. He was an adjunct professor at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/George Washington University and at Stanford University, DC campus. Mr. Coppola is survived by his sister Phyllis (Paul) Natoli of Dripping Springs, TX; three nieces Denise (Casey) Brooks of Zanesville, OH; Diane (Barrett) Sandefur of Austin, TX, Danielle (Isaac) Orao of Austin, TX.; great niece Carson Sandefur and great nephew Gabriel Orao. No services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to Food and Friends DC, Friends of the Art Museum of the Americas, or the Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Those wishing to share a memory may do so at www.everlywheatley.com
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Memories and Condolences
for JOHN COPPOLA
3 Entries
carson
October 24, 2022
I miss your art lessons on zoom
FYI / we still put anchobys in your zapula
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Carson Sandefur
October 24, 2022
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always. - your great niece carson
Jenny & Peter Jones
February 22, 2021
Sending our love to all who knew and loved John. I am writing on behalf of myself and my husband - we are Jenny & Peter Jones from Ohio. Amy Jones is our sister, and John’s best friend.
We would love to hear about what John and Amy were up to - whether going out to eat, tearing up calendars on New Years Day, visiting all the museums and traveling about their beloved DC.
I can say it always brought tremendous joy to know that Amy had a “brother” in town— as we, her family missed being near her.
We had a wonderful opportunity to share a week with John on the Jersey Shore. We shared a quaint home a few blocks from the sea. There were seven of us. We loved sitting on the porch, talking about everything under the sun. We’d go our separate ways during the day and join back together for delicious dinners and to watch Jeopardy. That is where I learned that dear John had tried out for the show many times. Had he reached the set with Alex Trebek- back then, I’m certain he’d have given Ken Jenkins a run for his money.
We were in New Jersey for Peter’s daughters wedding. All of us were getting ready to leave in about an hour. My darling husband looks at me and says “oh no, I forgot a dress shirt.” Well, we went through the obvious questions like—“how could that happen, we had everything sat out...” “oh no... would a golf shirt work...”
Anyway in the hussle and bustle Amy shouted up— “what’s the matter?” We explained... she says “oh no!”
Handsome John turned the corner with crisp, white shirt in hand (I can see him). He said “will this do?” We laughed at the fact that Debonair John traveled to the beach with a dress shirt— literally giving my Peter the shirt off his back.
John came to our wedding here in Columbus in 2015. I’ll share photos here. What a handsome gent.
Pride week was cancelled in DC in 2020. Pete and I wear “Jones Soda” gear. For the obvious reason- last name Jones.
Jones soda had a rainbow pride shirt for 2020. I sent one to John at his house. And one to our sister Amy’s. I wrote them a note with those shirts for them to open together. The note spoke of their friendship- how friends do indeed become family members. I loved to hear stories of how they met—- and where they travelled. One story that I love in particular was when John, his mom and Amy and her mom Ellie travelled to Europe.
Oh the adventures. I know Amy will miss her days, evenings and weeks with dear John. I share this photo of both of them in the Jones shirt. Amy said she and John were going to dinner. He showed up, and he had his Jones shirt on and she had hers on. She said to him “shall I change?” He said “Nah.” They went out to dinner as brother and sister in solidarity- “twinning” with pride in friendship, and such wonderful love.
We send our love to all that knew and loved John. I hope this story warms your heart. I know you all have John stories to share- but, we can all probably agree that dear John would give anyone, (anywhere around the world where he travelled) the shirt off his back.
Rest In Peace dear brother John.
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