Juanita Koop

She was born in Lubbock, TX on May 22, 1915. In 1933, her family took a trip to California to visit relatives, and never returned to Texas. She traveled with her parents and 4 siblings, getting out to walk the mountain passes with her mother. As a young girl she worked in the cotton fields to help support her family, and for a while worked as a telephone operator.

She married Willard Koop in 1938 in Klamath Falls, OR. They were married for 51 years at the time of his passing. They had 3 children: Gaylan, Janice and Dean. She worked for many years in school cafeterias, making and serving the lunches to the children. At the time she retired, she was working at Humboldt State University in the Lumberjack Cafeteria Department.

Juanita and Willard moved to Happy Valley in 1978 from McKinleyville. She loved the summer heat, gardening, sewing, cooking, and writing letters to her friends and family. Most of all, she enjoyed having her family spend time with her. She was a member of the Happy Valley Baptist Church for 36 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband Willard, daughter Janice, parents Robert and Susie, brothers Sherman and Calvin, and her sister Maureen. She is survived by her 2 sons: Gaylan (Cindy), and Dean (Linda), 5 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great grandchildren, her brother Lloyd (Joan), numerous nieces and nephews, and many, many wonderful friends.

There will be a graveside service on November 7th at 2 pm at Lawncrest Chapel. A reception will follow at her home in Happy Valley. Juanita requested that in lieu of flowers, a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital Cancer Research would be greatly appreciated.