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Arthur Irving Coops

Arthur Irving Coops was born in Sonoma on May 31, 1926, the son of Arthur A. Coops and Aloha Millard Coops. On Feb. 12, 2011, at age 84, he suffered a thalamus hemorrhage and died on Feb. 27, at home under hospice care. His only complaint was "I'm so bored." On most days, before the stroke, he had been outside with his planting, pruning, trimming, mowing and harvesting. It was an enjoyable retirement after 43 years as an electrical engineer at Westinghouse Electric's Transformer Division in Sharon, Pa.

Art received his education at Sonoma Valley schools and was a 1944 graduate of Sonoma Valley High School. From there he went to the University of California at Berkeley in the Navy V-12 program and graduated in 1948.

He is survived by Shirley Shannon Coops, his wife of 58 years; four children, eight grandchildren and a brother, Melvin Coops, of Oakmont. His daughters are, Melinda Coops Spring, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Dinah Coops Havas (Steve), Seattle, Wash. and Alison Coops Ludwig (Charles), Richmond, Va.; son, Daniel Coops (Amy), of Austin, Texas. His grandchildren are Jonathan and Patrick Spring, Jessica, Andrew and Lauren Ludwig, Tess Havas and Ryan and Brendan Coops.

Friends and family are invited to a memorial service on Thursday, March 10, at 11 a.m. at the Sonoma United Methodist Church, 109 Patten St., Sonoma. A private inurnment at Mountain Cemetery will be held.

Art very much enjoyed flowers, but donations to the church or to memorial hospice would also be welcome.