Memorial
Robert (Bob) Walter Kopp, 93, passed away on January 6, 2021 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Bob was born in Madison, Wisconsin, to Walter and Hildegard Kopp on January 22, 1927. He grew up in Madison. While in high school he met a young woman at the florist shop where they both worked, but he was very shy. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corp and served in Germany at the end of World War II. He returned home, attended the University of Wisconsin majoring in Engineering, and worked at the same florist shop. The young woman was still there, and this time the love of a lifetime began. Harriet Ellis and Robert Kopp were married on July 22, 1950. After graduating with his degree in engineering in 1951, Bob and Harriet moved to Cedar Rapids, and Bob began work at Collins Radio. He was a loving husband to Harriet for over 67 years.
Bob took great pride in his career, remaining at Collins as it transitioned into Rockwell-Collins. He worked in avionics throughout his career, involving aircraft autopilots, automatic landing systems for the Lockheed L-1011 jumbo jet, and finally safety analysis consulting with the FAA. Bob retired from Collins in 1992. His retirement allowed him more time for his favorite pastimes: fishing, golf (which he took too seriously), and travelling. Bob, also, was a long-time member of Kenwood Park Presbyterian Church (now Echo Hill Presbyterian church) where he served in leadership roles for many years and made many of his life-long friends.
Bob and Harriet raised three children and were each other's best friend. He was proud of his family. As a dad, his children knew him as a strong, hard-working man. He was a man of great honesty and integrity. And he taught those lessons to his children. He played games with them, took them fishing, and built an ice-skating rink in their front yard in the winter. He loved gardening and the taste of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans. In his later years he has watched the family grow to include 6 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
Bob was happy with the life he lived and proud of how it turned out. He is survived by his three children, Linda Kopp Hubbard (David) of Dacono, CO., Douglas Kopp (Diane), and Donald Kopp (Brenda) both of Solon, IA. He, also, is survived by his grandchildren, Dana (Hubbard) Wuensch, Joanna Hubbard, Jessica (Kopp) Johanningmeier, Austin Kopp, Andrew Kopp, and Krystal (Kopp) Schatzle, and 10 great-grandchildren. Bob loved his family as a husband, a father, a grandfather and great-grandfather, and he was cherished as a friend by many. The family would like to thank the staff at Keystone Cedars for the loving care shown to Bob during his years there, and to Serene Care Hospice for such great care and compassion these last weeks.
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