Joan Margaret Coppinger OBITUARY

Joan Margaret Coppinger

Passed away peacefully in Novato Community Hospital on March 28, 2004, after a brief illness. Mrs. Coppinger’s son, John, and her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Harris, were at her side when she passed.

Mrs. Coppinger was born Joan Margaret O’Brien in the Bronx, New York on November 22, 1925. She was the first child of Mr. William O’Brien and Mrs. Dorothy (nee Murphy) O’Brien. Mrs. Coppinger was preceded in death by her siblings Dorothea, James and Audrey. Mrs. Coppinger was reared in Yonkers, New York, and graduated from Mount St. Ursula School and the College of New Rochelle, both located in New Rochelle, New York. Mrs. Coppinger also received an elementary teaching certificate from Centenary College of Louisiana.

Mrs. Coppinger was the widow of Lt. Col. John J. Coppinger, USAF (Ret.). Col. and Mrs. Coppinger and their then 11 year old son came to Marin County in 1967 when Col. Coppinger was assigned to Hamilton AFB. Upon Col. Coppinger’s retirement from the Air Force in 1970 after 27 years of service that took the Coppinger family to many parts of the world, the Coppingers moved to Novato, where Mrs. Coppinger lived until her death. Col. Coppinger died in December 1989 of complications from Alzheimer’s Disease. Mrs. Coppinger was a devoted and loving caretaker of her husband during the many long years of his illness.

Mrs. Coppinger is survived by her son, her daughter-in-law, her grandson Jack, age 10, all of Oakland, CA, and her cousins Patrick J. Murphy of East Hampton, New York, and Mary Ellen Olson of Greenbrae. Mrs. Coppinger will be missed by her family and many friends, including her good neighbors, Pieter and Cheryl Boissevain and Pam and Mike Bing.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 AM on Wednesday, April 7, 2004, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 1000 Cambridge Street, Novato, California. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers and in recognition of Mrs. Coppinger’s life long interest in education, the family suggests that contributions be made in Mrs. Coppinger’s name to one of her favorite charities and her grandson’s school, St. Paul’s Episcopal School, 116 Montecito, Oakland, CA 94610-4556. St. Paul’s is a private school with a public purpose and more information is available at http://www.spes.org.