Barry Koops, 86, of El Cerrito, California, passed away peacefully at home on

Wednesday April 9, 2025, surrounded by close family. He was born on March 16, 1939

in Bellingham, Washington to Bernie and Jean (Zuiderveen) Koops.

Barry graduated from Rehoboth Christian High School in Rehoboth, New Mexico. He

then completed his undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan

where he excelled as a student athlete. He was honored as an All-American in cross

country and hailed by his coach as “by far the greatest distance runner Calvin College

has ever had.”

Upon graduation from Calvin, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as navigator

(1962-65) on the USS Platte on the Pacific and the South China Sea off the coast of

Vietnam. He returned to Michigan to attend the University of Michigan to earn a

Master’s degree and a few years later, a Ph.D in English and Education. While he

advanced in his career in education, he continued in the Navy Reserve for twenty more

years, retiring as Commander. In Michigan, he also met his wife, Delianne (Delia Anne)

who was a junior in college. He proposed to her after their very first date because as he

explained later, “I knew I didn’t want to live without her.”

Over the next fifty years of his career, Barry served as an educator in multiple roles: as

teacher (Grand Rapids Christian High School) and professor at Central Michigan

University as well as Gordon College (MA). In 1979, he was also called to several

leadership roles becoming the founding principal at Contra Costa Christian High in

Walnut Creek (CA), in 1986, as the superintendent of Eastern Christian Schools in New

Jersey and finally, as the headmaster at Lexington Christian Academy (MA) for 17 years

until retirement. Following his tenure at LCA, Barry continued to provide guidance and

expertise as a consultant for independent schools.

In 2013, Barry and Delianne returned to the Bay Area. In retirement, he brushed up on

his sailing skills—one of his great loves. The final test was to navigate out of the

Oakland Estuary into San Francisco Bay—blindfolded. He did so with flying colors and

earned his captain’s certification from the American Sailing School, Berkeley in 2010.

He also published a poetry anthology, Final Exam: Poems About Teachers and their

Students.

Barry loved spending time with his family, in his home overlooking the San Francisco

Bay, where he could birdwatch, work in the yard and garden, and monitor ship traffic in

real time on his favorite app. He connected with people in meaningful conversations. He

noticed people around him who were looking for friendship, so he began an informal

men’s coffee group with men from First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. He loved the

church and loved to worship in community. All his life, he trusted in a faithful God who,

he said, “loves me in life and in death.”

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Delianne Greydanus Koops, and their four

children: Sarah Koops (David) Vanderveen of Laguna Beach, California; Christopher

(Renee) Koops of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Jeanne Louise Koops of El Cerrito, CA, and

Geoffrey (Anna) Koops of Amsterdam, NL. He was also known as “Pake” and “Bumpa”

to his nine grandchildren: Schuyler Vanderveen (31) of Los Angeles, CA and Willem

Vanderveen (27) of Amsterdam, NL; Otto (19), Anders (17), and Elliot (15) Elson of El

Cerrito, CA; Cohen Koops (16) of Grand Rapids, MI; and Ramona (12), Gus (9), and

Oscar (5) Koops of Amsterdam, NL.

A Memorial Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California on

Friday, May 16 at 2 pm.

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