Harold "Harry" Van Coops passed away peacefully at his home in Camarillo, California, on Friday, July 24, 2009, with his wife and family at his side.

Harry was born on October 1, 1919, in Napa, California, to Harold. Sr., and Dorothy Dobbel Van Coops. He attended Sonoma, California, schools and graduated with honors to attend the University of California, Berkeley, at age 16. He graduated from the U. C. School of Public Health after serving four years in the Sixth Army Medical Corp during World War II. He met and married Marguerite Lujan, his college sweetheart, in 1940.

His public health career as an Environmental Specialist took Harry to Italy, Washington State, Wyoming, and back to California. As a Deputy Health Officer, he was involved in supervision and inspection of food processing plants, restaurants and food handling establishments, water purification, and sewage disposal systems. Harry retired from the Alameda County Health Department in 1982 and found the Lompoc Valley a great place for retirement.

He was a longtime member of the Queen of Angels Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was active in Prelado de los Tesoros, the volunteer docent association of La Purisima Mission Sate Historic Park for over 20 years.

Harry is survived by his wife, Marguerite. They would have celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary in December of this year. Also surviving are their children, Stephen (Margaret), Christina (Richard), Jonathan and Anthony (Cindy). Their second son, Peter, preceded him in death in 1983.

Also surviving are his siblings, Donald (Rosemarie) of Cedarville, CA, Catherine of Soquel, CA, and William (Dorothy) of San Jose CA.

Harry and Marguerite have 10 grandchildren, Lisa, Christopher, Michael, Sarah, Nathan, Nina, Erik, Dane, Adam and Tyler, and five great-grandchildren, Erin, Collin, Amara, Raymond and Lucas.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, August 1, 2009, at 9:30 am at the Queen of Angels Catholic Church, 3495 Rucker Road, in Mission Hills. Interment will follow immediately at Arroyo Grande Cemetery, Arroyo Grande. The entourage will return to Lompoc for a reception in the Church Hall at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Roze Room Hospice, 5700 Ralston Street, Suite 204, Ventura, CA 93003, or to La Purisima Mission SHP, Visitor Center Fund, 2295 Purisima Road, Lompoc, CA 93436.