Monique Koopmans passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, December 28, 2023, at the age of 90.  She is survived by her loving husband, Harry (also 90), two sons, Bill (& Camilla), Eric (& Lynda) and grandson, Tyler.  Monique was a loving, caring and devoted wife, mother and grandmother to her family.  She always took care of others before herself.

Monique was born in Marseille, a beautiful port city in southern France, on April 6, 1933.  Unfortunately, her mother died when Monique was only 3 years old and she was eventually raised by her grandmother who lived in a rural area just outside of Paris. As a child, she lived through WWII often hiding with her grandmother in their basement when air raid sirens sounded. It was a scary time, but Monique and her grandmother survived without losing their home or being injured.  Monique adored and loved her grandmother, living with her until she was an adult.  Monique attended an all-girl Catholic school. During that time, she learned Latin which allowed her to understand Spanish later in life. For a brief time, she even thought of becoming a nun.

At 21 years old, Monique met the future love of her life and husband while walking near where she worked as a seamstress in Paris.  Harry walked up to Monique and asked for directions to one of the local tourist sites. Harry was in the US Air Force and was lucky to be assigned to Paris.  Knowing very little French, he communicated with Monique using a small translation book and a few French words he learned.  The request for directions turned into asking Monique to join him for a cup of coffee and pastry at a local café.  That was the start of a beautiful relationship and a marriage lasting over 66 years.  Monique learned English and Harry became pretty good at French within a few years.  Monique became a naturalized US citizen in 1963.  For nearly every week, they continued to enjoy coffee and pastries at local coffee shops wherever they lived.

Monique was an animal and nature lover.  Almost every morning, she fed all of the different species of birds that would visit in her backyard.  She even had blue jays eating from her hands and tapping on the windows if she was late.  She always had a dog or cat, sometimes both, and loved them as family members.  Her pets lived long lives and were fed better food than some people.  Gardening was her second love.  Despite having a paid gardener, Monique would often spend hours replanting flowers and grooming her garden, even after she turned 90.  Her family would tell her to stop, fearing she would hurt herself, but that seemed to drive her more.

Monique was also an amazing cook, taking 3-4 hours to make most meals for her family.  She never used a microwave.  She often made European dishes which everyone enjoyed.  She was also a great baker resulting in many extra pounds for those who took part in sampling.

With Harry being in the US Air Force, the family traveled and lived in France, Germany, California, Washington DC and Nevada.  In 1976, the family returned to Vandenberg Air Force Base for a second time. Monique and Harry decided to make Vandenberg Village their permanent home upon retirement, where she lived until she passed away.  Monique favored cooler weather, so the Lompoc area suited her well.

A private family service and burial will be held on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at the Lompoc Cemetery.