David Cooper

David Cooper, age 76, a well-known educator for 21 years in the Pittsfield Public Schools from 1969 to 1991, passed away Friday, March 3, 2023, at his home in Rio Rancho, NM. He succumbed to congestive heart disease brought on by diabetes.

David taught mostly 5th grade at Egremont Elementary and Stearns Elementary Schools where he inspired many young people to understand their capabilities and who they could become. His goal was to teach each one separately instead of as a group. After retiring, David used Facebook to search out former students and reconnect with them. He was thrilled that he managed to stay in contact with quite a few of these former students.

After relocating to Northern Virginia in 1991, he transitioned into a different industry, where he continued to use his teaching skills in subtle ways. He provided Customer Service support at both Network Solutions LLC and Identity Guard and became a sought-after Customer Service Representative prior to transitioning to Management.

When David retired in 2012, he and his wife, Trudi, relocated to their forever home in Rio Rancho, NM. Since then, David emerged as a vital and active member of the Camino Crossing community. He spent his time volunteering for his community and coordinating with the City of Rio Rancho to improve the physical appearance of Camino Crossing. He thoroughly enjoyed living in NM, constantly marveling at the deep blue skies, the biblical sunsets, and fantastical formations formed by the elements. He loved hiking the trails, whether it was on top of the Sandia Mountains, along the Bosque in Rio Rancho or Albuquerque, or the dirt roads near his home. He found the local Native culture fascinating, and his personal library grew with the addition of reading material pertaining to the Southwest. No day was complete unless he worked on at least one crossword puzzle while listening to selected works from his large collection of classical music. His pride and joy was the home he shared with his wife, and he took immense pleasure in keeping it up along with the xeriscape yard and the various forms of cacti he rescued from the nearby mesa. His life-long love of photography and politics stayed with him until the end.

David's immediate family consists of his wife, Trudi; two stepsons, Jeffrey Minteer (Sonja) of Hilliard, Ohio, and Scott Minteer (On) of Bangkok, Thailand; and two grandchildren, Jacob, 16 of Ohio, and Harper, 4 of Thailand. His extended families of cousins live in Arizona, Florida, Texas, New England, and in the UK. In addition, he leaves behind an eclectic group of friends from all walks of life: Betsy, Charles and Feliz, Howard, Jeromey, Bishop Larry, Sondra, Leah, Marion, Marsha, and Shannon, to name but a few.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/donate

At a future date, David's urn will be interred alongside those of his parents, Alan and Harriette Cooper, in Pittsfield Cemetery, Pittsfield, MA.