Flown the Coop

What can I say about Bob (Coop) Cooper? I think you know a person is special when you have only talked to them a few times, and yet you feel you have known them forever. You feel somehow connected to them. You admire them. You wish you had more time to spend with them. Coop has that kind of impact on you. His smile, his wit, his knowledge, his charisma. You could sit by a fire and listen to him weave a yarn, or tell you everything you wanted to know about a mushroom. He captures an audience.

Coop has worked in one capacity or another with the Rochester Museum and Science Center for over thirty years. He has been the face on the Cummings Nature Center for over a decade. I jumped at a chance to go to his retirement party this November, because I knew I wanted to see him one more time. I don't think Cummings Nature Center or the RMSC will ever be the same for me. Coop's family and friends were all at the party. I felt I really didn't know anyone. But as I talked to people, many of them didn't know each other either. It seemed that Coop had touched each person in the room in some way, but one thing was clear...he had that impression on them. That impression that you would never forget.

Coop is going to become a migratory bird. Just like the ones he could identify from the window for you at the CNC on the drop of a hat. Gulf Coast Florida for Coop. Is he sitting still...hell no. He already has two nature centers who want him around. He has three lovely grandchildren to chase around when he comes back to NY. He has buck to chase too, Coop like a proud papa showed pictures of the two bucks he had got with the bow already this fall. Coop already had plane tickets in hand for the Galapogos Islands where he lead nature tours. He's trading in the ice fishing gear for salt water fishing gear. No stopping Coop.

I really hope I can keep in touch with Coop, he's that kind of guy you want to be around, and secretly want to be.