David Koop

Today we celebrate our dad’s life. He went to be with Jesus on July 11, but his legacy will live on
for many years because of his deep faith, giving spirit, and positive attitude. He touched many
lives in his 102 years of life and will be deeply missed.
Our dad was born on January 12, 1921, in the small town of Joes, Colorado. He was the eldest
son, born to Jacob and Sarah Fast Koop. He was followed by three more siblings, John,
Bertha, and Leonard, who have all passed away. At the age of nine, his mom died of childbirth
complications 13 days after giving birth to Leonard. This was a very difficult for dad and his
siblings. Within a year and a half his dad remarried Anna Regier and two more children were
born from that marriage, Paul and Joan.
In his early teenage years, Dads’ family left Colorado, moving to the valley here in California. He
helped his family by working on the farm. During his teenage years, dad attended the weekly
“6:30 meeting” here at the Reedley MB church. There were many great preachers of the day
who came for revival meetings. In dad‘s own words “those were the best years of my life in
becoming integrated with the church as a teenager”. In dads late teens he met our mom, Helen
Suderman, while attending Reedley Bible School, now Immanuel, and their affection for one
another began. One of dads favorite songs was “You are My Sunshine”, always thinking of mom
as the love of his life. Dad purchased a model A Roadster for $100, in which he took our mom
out for rides. They celebrated 61 years of marriage before our moms passing in 2009.
At age 21, dad joined the army and had a rank of corporal. After joining, the chaplain asked him
if he would like to be his assistant at the 80th Station Hospital in Tunisia, North Africa. Dads
duties were to assist the chaplain with keeping an office, encouraging patients by assisting them
with things other than their medical care – such as writing letters to their families and distributing
Christian literature. He also helped organize Sunday morning services for the men of their unit.
They had a men’s quartet and a choir, including the nurses in their unit and weekly Bible
studies. Our mom said that every Easter while dad was in the army he would send her a
beautiful gardenia corsage. She commented that she could still smell the sweet aroma of the
gardenia and included gardenias in her wedding bouquet. During these years, dad
corresponded, while he was in north Africa and France, by sending V-mail to mom.
After being honorably discharged from the army in late 1945, dad began attending Fresno State,
on the G.I. Bill, to study to become a teacher.
The love between our mom and dad continued to grow during these years. Our mom was
studying to become a nurse at Community Hospital in Fresno. They had a rule that the students
could not be married while attending nursing school, so a week after graduation, in late January
of 1948, they were married at the Bethany Mennonite Brethren Church in Fresno, and lived in
Fresno for the next several years before moving to Reedley.
The oldest child, Mary, was born in 1949, next James (Jim) in 1951, Ruth in 1953 and the
youngest, John in 1958.
After graduation from Fresno State, Dad began teaching in the fall of 1951 at Windsor school
outside of Reedley. After three years of teaching there, he moved to Navelvalencia school,
where he was a teacher, and also principal. In 1961 he changed schools and taught at McCord
school in Orange Cove. Dad ended his 30 year career as a teacher here in Reedley at Lincoln
School as a special Ed teacher. Dads patient, kind and gentle nature served him well all his
teaching years.
But dad also had another career as a farmer. We lived outside of Reedley in the country and
dad farmed 8 ½ acres of grapes which were dried each fall and sent to Sun Maid raisins. We
kids all had our turn at tying up vines, picking grapes, rolling trays and boxing raisins. Dad loved
to explain to people the parable in John 15 of the vine and branches to anyone who showed
interest.
Shortly, after moving to Reedley in 1951, dad and mom were asked to help out at a community
church in Sultana. This invitation turned into a ministry for 23 years. Our family faithfully
attended church there and experienced many years of blessings. A number of various pastors
served, but since the congregation was small, dad often assumed the responsibility of
leadership and preaching. During that time we also got acquainted with many missionaries who
were invited to speak in the church and stayed in our home. That began our dad and moms
deep interest and support of many missionaries, both overseas and local. Their hearts are
always ones of reaching out to neighbors, friends, or whoever they met, to share and be Jesus
to them. Even as dad was a resident at Sierra View for the past ? years, his passion for sharing
Jesus’ love and giving others an opportunity to know his Saviour Jesus, was a driving force in
his life. He was always challenging his children, grandchildren and others in their walk with
Jesus.
During the 1974-75 school year, dad along with our mom and brother John, took a leave of
absence from teaching and traveled to Colombia, South America, to teach at the Wycliff Bible
Translators school. Several of those missionaries there became lifelong friends of dad and
mom.
After returning from Columbia, they attended church here, serving as deacons, teaching Sunday
School, and various other responsibilities.
After retirement in 1981, dad and mom enjoyed going camping and visiting their children in
various destinations. They started out with a VW van, and then graduated to a small Toyota
motor home. Dad also loved playing horseshoes.
Dad was relatively healthy all his life. In 2004 he got a new lease on life by having an aortic
valve replacement. This valve replacement gave him almost 20 more years of life.
After our mom passed away in 2009, dad spent several more years on the farm and then
decided it was time for him to move into town. He moved to an apartment at Sierra View
Retirement Homes and lived independently there until a year and a half ago when he moved
into the assisted living area. He finished the last three months of his life in skilled nursing. He
was very active during those years riding his bike around the campus or around town. He would
visit patients in assisted or skilled nursing, encouraging them with a Bible verse or scripture. His
giftings of caring, listening, and sharing Jesus was so much a part of who he was. We are very
grateful for the Sierra View staff who lovingly looked out for and cared for him during his 12
years there.
One interesting fact about our mom and dad is that they would write weekly letters to all of us
children. It first started out with mom, typing them on a typewriter, taking the copy to town to
make photocopies, and then mailing them to each of us kids. After mom died, dad continue this
tradition, with each week sitting at his computer composing a letter. We all learned that if there
was any news, we did not want the family to know, we should not tell dad or mom because it
would be put in the weekly letter. In each of these letters, dad would challenge us with a
scripture verse, a Bible thought, or a scripture that he had been meditating on that week. In the
last few years, he also had an iPad, and calling people on FaceTime was his life line of
communication to others. Since he was hard of hearing, being able to see others, and also hear
them, was an asset in his communication. Even up to two weeks before his death, he still
communicated with my sister on his iPad. I know some of you probably got calls from him
wondering why he called you. Many times he would wonder why people didn’t answer when he
called. We would try to explain that they were working, or had busy lives, but he didn’t seem to
understand why they wouldn’t pick up, and thought maybe they were upset at him.
Our family is very grateful for the legacy that our dad has left us. His life will continue on in our
lives, and the lives of many others he touched throughout his 102 years of life.
Second Timothy 4: 7-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have
remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me, but for
all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

 

In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to Tulare/ Kings Counties Youth for Christ, P.O. Box 3904, Visalia, CA 93278 or to Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) P.O. Box 1, La Mirada, CA 90637