Joseph Henry Looper

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather Joseph Henry Looper, 84, of Fort Collins, Colorado, died on January 9, 2011, in his home. Joe was born on March 21, 1926 in Lovell, Wyoming to Hazel Williamson and Harvey Looper. He graduated cum laude from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Civil Engineering (1945). As part of the Navy’s V-12 program, Joe began active duty while in college. He then served as a WWII Naval officer in Operation Crossroads in the Pacific and later during the Korean War, at Pearl Harbor. Continuing in the Navy Reserves, Joe retired in 1966 as Captain. Joe met Helen Joan Olds at Colorado University, where Joan was a music major and Joe a clarinet player. They married in 1947, celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary in 2007. Looper was preceded in death by brother, Bob, and eldest son, Larry, and is survived by sister Jean Sudduth, wife Joan, four children (Gary, Cathy, Bob, Randy), 10 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. As a Professional Engineer, Looper worked for the Bureau of Public Roads, then joined Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff (HNTB), where he stayed 26 years until his retirement in 1980. He opened and managed the HNTB Milwaukee office and was selected by peers as Milwaukee Engineer of the Year (1968). Voted an HNTB Partner in 1965, he also managed offices in Chicago, Denver, and Casper. Other honors: President of both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Consulting Engineers Council (Wisconsin); national recognition for I-70 in Glenwood Canyon, Marquette Interchange and Milwaukee Harbor Bridge. In an extensive “second career” with the Rotary International, Looper, served as President of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Northwest, then as a District Governor in Wisconsin. In 989 he led a Group Study Exchange Team to Indonesia, directing his energies to World Community Service projects for Rotary. Joe joined the Rotary Club of Fort Collins with a move there in 1994, where he finished his long distinguished service to Rotary. Looper was a faithful, lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, serving in many capacities over the years and helping launch a new church in Wellington, Colorado. Joe also volunteered with the Poudre school system and loved being with family, working and relaxing at his cabin up the Poudre canyon, or traveling the world and meeting people. A reception for family, friends, and colleagues is on Saturday, January 15, 2-4 pm in the Ft. Collins First United Methodist Church parlor. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Rotary Club Foundation, Project Self-Sufficiency, Wellington Fellowship, or a charity of your choice in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 650 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526.