September 5, 1955 – August 18, 2022

David Alan Koop, beloved father and grandfather, was born September 5th, 1955, to Jack and Marjorie Koop and passed away August 18th, 2022, in Duluth, Minnesota.

Dave began life adventurous and outgoing as he and his tight knit group of friends won track and field competitions, carried out dozens of harmless shenanigans, and went on countless bicycle and climbing excursions across the Midwest. Therefore, it was no surprise that Iowa could not contain Dave as he headed West only to be stopped by the Rocky Mountains in Keystone, Colorado. The next few years were very transformative for Dave as a Keystone ski pass that once depicted a clean-cut Midwestern boy slowly morphed into displaying a shaggy haired ski bum. Appearance aside, Dave never lost his hardworking values and soon he became the go-to-guy for Keystone property management.

Fast-forwarding through a wedding, brief stints in Durango and Arizona, and the arrival of his two sons, Dave returned to Summit County to begin his career in Water Operations for Breckenridge and then ultimately for Frisco. When not at work, Dave was no slouch as he was coaching optimist basketball, stepping in as a cub scout cubmaster, or chaperoning school dances and field trips. As his boys become more independent, Dave pursued alternative means of community service by participating in Silverthorne Town Government. This journey would elapse over a decade and see him through the progression from council member to Mayor Pro Tem to two terms as Mayor. As cliché as it sounds, Dave felt it was his obligation to give back to the town. Little did he know this involved reading several hundred pages of meeting materials every week, having to jokingly threaten to beat the truth out of lawyers, and a myriad of spirited town meetings. Rising to the occasion, Dave conquered all these challenges in the pursuit of making Silverthorne a more sustainable town for the year-round residents and in the process provided several memorable newspaper quotes.

Outside of work, Dave was a ferocious reader of non-fiction and a lover of large dogs. If you did not know his name, it is possible you knew Dave as the man that took leisurely strolls down Frisco Main Street with Dozer, a mastiff chocolate lab mutt, and Yogi, the dog equivalent of a hairy cow, in tow. Over time Dave’s two passions naturally combined when he would read to children at the library as they would pet the docile gigantic beasts.

Dave’s one true fault however was his John Wayne attitude toward health, which lead to a series of unfortunate health conditions and ultimately his untimely passing. Dave is survived by his oldest son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Brooke, his grandchildren, Tomina, Solveig, and Lokken, and his youngest/favorite son, John, who was not involved in the writing of this whatsoever.

If compelled to honor his memory, please donate to the Summit County Library – https://summitcountylibraries.org/get-involved/give.