David Andrew Koop

David Andrew Koop joined our Heavenly Father on October 9, 2020 after a valiant, decades-long battle with serious health issues including cancer. Through it all, his optimism remained unwavering. David was 61 years old. He was a long-time resident of Polk County, Oregon. David was born in Fresno, California in 1958 to Thomas A. and Virginia A. Koop, their fifth child and only surviving son. After a re-marriage, David was joined by three younger brothers. David’s grand presence and leadership qualities surfaced early in life. Always being excellence driven, young David led the field from achieving paperboy of the week, to senior altar boy, to champion junior sailor. As an adult, David’s drive for accomplishment continued with purchasing his first home at age 18, his first business at 19 in reforestation, followed by a flurry of entrepreneurial interests including Christmas tree farming & sales, pioneering the prepaid legal industry, agricultural manufacturing and viticulture, as well as becoming a bestselling author (Cancer: It’s a Good Thing I Got It!), keynote speaker, and Certified World Class Speaking Coach. Though a high school drop-out, David understood the great importance of education, and taught as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Denver University College of Law. David lived life passionately through world travel, exploring other cultures, discovering new recipes, and enjoying scuba, sailing, and cycling adventures. Accumulating substantial wealth by his early twenties, David understood the greatest value in life was family. It was the comfort of family that sustained him through the difficult days of his disease. His son Christopher, above all, gave David the courage and optimism to make it through the darkest times. David was preceded in death by his father and mother, and all four grandparents. He is survived by his son Christopher Koop, his sisters Jody Cook, Bonnie Whitley, Sue Koop, and his brothers Jeff Koop, James Koop, and Thomas W. Koop, and numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of life to spread David’s ashes will be planned next year.