Richard Cooley

Richard Glenn Cooley passed away on Thursday, March 7th, at home in Niwot, Colorado, surrounded by several loving family members. He was ninety-two and is survived by Carol, his wife of fifty-one years; his children Richard Jr, Kevin, and Karen; daughter-in-law Bridget; son-in-law Kervy; five grandchildren, Copernicus, Jaden, Kristene, Taylor, and Yvette; and two great-grandchildren Eden and Emmet. Richard loved microwave popcorn, Budweiser, Sudoku, pecan pie, Gunsmoke, Three is Company, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Coot Lake, and any televised sporting event. He didn’t care much for small talk, waiting, the theater, other people’s driving, or loud music. He was best known as a master at table tennis and for his unique brand of humor, which he spent a lifetime perfecting. He was born in South Charleston, West Virginia, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. After graduating high school, he joined The Air Force and deployed to Korea and Japan. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Shortly afterward, he moved to Los Angeles with his first wife, Judith Sutphin, to join a fledgling tech industry. In the early sixties, he was named Electrical Engineer of the Year by Electrical Design News while working for Control Data Corporation. He met Carol on the slopes at Mammoth Mountain. A few months later, he wrapped masking tape around a beer can pull tab and asked her to marry him while they rode the chairlift. After having two children, they moved to Colorado, and he became an early employee at McData, a tech startup. He worked there as a hardware engineer for twenty-five years until retiring. In his later years, Richard became an avid walker, an audiobook enthusiast, a self-proclaimed game show historian, and a patient dissectologist. He felt lucky to spend time with his family and is greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Heart Association.