Clifford Koop

CLIFFORD KOOP Cedar Rapids Clifford Donald Koop, 88, went to be with his Lord on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, at home. Cliff was born March 29, 1926, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Dan and Helen Koop. Services: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at Faith Bible Church, with Pastor Steve Benton officiating. Viewing will be at the church beginning at 10 a.m. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Family graveside services will be at a later date. His family includes his wife, Nancy, soon to celebrate 49 years together on March 5; children, Tami Edaburn (Steve), Julie Covert (Randy), Sheri Seal-Bailey (Bob), Ron Koop, Rod Koop (Teresa), Tamara Schamber (Darren) and Russ Koop (Shaire); numerous grandchildren, great- and great-great-grandchildren; his special buddy, "Buckley"; and siblings, Carol Elsberry (Art), Jerry Koop (Phyllis) and LaVerne Morgan (R.C.). Preceding Cliff in death were his parents; sons, Robin and Randy; daughter, Karan; and sisters, Violet Davenport and Loretta Carpenter. Cliff served four years in the Coast Guard, first in the Pacific on shipboard and completing his military service in Greenland tracking submarines until the end of World War II. He attended the University of Southern California for his B.S. in electrical engineering and an M.S. in systems management. Cliff worked at Rockwell Collins for 52 years, working with admirable people producing precision products in metrology. Cliff and Nancy were blessed with travels to many countries ? great times and treasured memories. In later life, Cliff was devoted to serving others and freely sharing his faith. He and his son-in-law, Steve, went on many mission trips to Guatemala, fulfilling needs for the House of Hope orphanages. Other mission trips he and Nancy went on were to Vietnam and the Baltic states. Volunteering was his passion, working on church building projects from an early age. More recently he applied his efforts toward Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteers (RCRV) and the REACT center, updating donated computers to give to schools and other organizations. He worked with a team who built handicap ramps around town, and assisted the Witwer Children's Therapy Center, building over 200 astro boards for children with disabilities. Being a part of The Salvation Army for many years has been a personal blessing to Cliff. Before his death, Cliff shared his desire for all of us who remain: "Do not grieve for me, I am with Jesus, and make sure you will see me again someday by accepting Christ as your Savior and Lord." In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to a memorial fund to be established in memory of Cliff. Leave an online condolence for the family at www.cedar memorial.com under Obituaries.