A celebration of life for Marian Cooper, a beloved longtime kindergarten teacher at South Peninsula Hebrew Day School who died Dec. 25 at age 80, will be held at the Oshman Family Jewish Com-munity Center in Palo Alto on Monday, Jan. 11.
A reception and tribute to Cooper will begin at 4 p.m. inside the Albert and Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall. The celebration of life will continue with a potluck dinner 5 to 6:30 p.m. in classroom G100.
Originally from Cleveland, Cooper was the first kindergarten teacher at SPHDS, and worked there for more than 25 years. She also formed the junior choir at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, founded the Super Active Seniors group at the Albert Schultz JCC (now the Oshman Family JCC) and served the City of Los Altos as chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, among other activities.
In her spare time, she enjoyed traveling the world with her husband, Henry. Israel was Cooper’s favorite spot, he said, because they had the chance to visit with relatives.
“She was always warm, smiling and capable,” he said.
Known to her kindergarten students as “Morah Marian,” Cooper, who earned a master’s degree in music education from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, incorporated music, as well as her enthusiasm and bubbly personality, into her lesson plans.
Former students often visited Cooper, who taught two generations of kindergarteners at South Peninsula Hebrew Day School. They would update her with stories about their lives and many would introduce Cooper to their own children, her husband said.
Barbara Goldstein, early childhood director at SPHDS, described Cooper as the ideal kindergarten teacher. “She was the kind of teacher you hope your children start their schooling with. Someone who makes kids really love school, enjoy what they’re doing and be fully engaged in the learning process.”
RSVP is required for the celebration of life. The OFJCC is located at 3921 Fabian Way in Palo Alto. For more information, contact Heidi Stein, OFJCC adult community department director, at (650) 223-8605 or [email protected].
— amanda pazornik