Sally O Kopman

She was born Sally Jo Osterweis in New Haven, CT, the daughter of Yale Historian Rollin Osterweis and Ruth Loewenstein Osterweis. She and her three younger sisters—Nancy, Ruth and Rolly—grew up in a welcoming house on St. Ronan street that was a surrogate home to countless students, extended family, and friends. Sally met her favorite Yale undergrad, a handsome young Charles Kopman, when she was a sophomore at Smith College. After they married, Sally and Charles settled in St. Louis, where Sally’s midwestern cousins helped her feel at home. Given her sociable nature, Sally quickly developed a wide and supportive network of friends.

While Sally lost Charles recently (April 1), she is survived by her adoring children, Daniel (Sheena) Kopman, Nancy (Ned) Rubenstein, and Susan (Jason) Lewis, as well as her cherished grandchildren, Lewis, Genevieve, Rosie, David, Sophie, and Jessie.

Sally joked that as a student at Smith in the 1950s, the “degree” she wanted was an M.R.S., yet she was much more than a loving wife and mother. While her children were young, she volunteered with Head Start, was a docent at the St. Louis Art Museum, and chaired the St. Louis Book Fair. She worked for many years as an administrator at the St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute and the St. Louis Community Foundation, supporting a wide range of community organizations. Perhaps her favorite job was teaching nursery school; she took immense pleasure in preschoolers’ creativity and natural curiosity. Sally was a leader of the Pioneers, a group of women who each month chose a topic in history, literature, or current affairs to rigorously research and discuss. In her 50s, Sally earned a Master’s degree in Drama from Washington University. For 18 years, well into her 80s, Sally facilitated at Washington University’s Lifelong Learning Institute, where she led courses on great plays, biographies, and detective fiction.

Sally relished going to the theater and museums, looking for shells on the beaches of Sanibel, knitting and playing bridge, and taking long walks at the Missouri Botanical Garden and around her neighborhood. She kept a vigorous pace while chatting with her walking friends. At 83, she still attended zumba classes twice a week, inspiring her classmates. Sally had an extraordinary ability to strike up a conversation with anyone she encountered. From her teen years to the end of her life, she loved a good party. Sally’s bright and vibrant spirit will be sorely missed.

A memorial service will be held at a future date.