Peter Cooper

Peter Cooper passed away on February 27, 2021 at his home at the age of 82. He was born in Tulare, CA on July 28, 1938 to Ben and Lauramae Cooper. He was raised on a dairy farm until WWII ended when his family moved to Pennsylvania where his grandmother ran a Settlement House for immigrants. Peter attended MIT after graduating from Pittsburgh HS and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Allegheny College. He served as a Sergeant E-5 in the Army from 1961-1964 at Fort Kobbe in the Panama Canal Zone and then emigrated to Australia and worked for IBM in Sydney. Peter returned to teach Computer Science at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA and then to NMSU where he served as the Computer Science Program Manager. After moving to Radium Springs, NM, Peter and his wife, Candy, started and ran the Blue Moon Bar, entertaining folks on the road from Las Cruces to Hatch. He served as County Commissioner in Doña Ana County from 1983 - 1986 and then worked as the Information Technology Director for Doña Ana County. In 2000, he moved on to a job as Chief Technology Officer for El Paso County and retired in 2012. Peter loved to travel with family and friends and visited every continent except Antarctica. His goal on most vacations was to find the perfect restaurant from which to watch the sunset. He never met a project he didn’t want to try; he hand-built a catamaran (which he named “Ruby” because of her red sail), dug an inground pool, built tree houses and more. He had a passion for hiking and boating and could always be counted on for adventure. A good and generous friend to all, he was a champion, a rascal, a risk taker, and a true Renaissance man. In retirement, he became interested in genealogy and was fascinated to discover his slave roots from the South and Pilgrim ancestors from Plymouth Rock as well as meet new living relatives. Peter was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Patty. Peter is survived by his loving family; wife Candice McDonald, daughter Maggie Ensley, and from a previous marriage to Janet Greenlee, daughters Heather (Jay) Quaintance, Allison Cooper (m. George McNinch), and son Philip Cooper (m. Valerie Massimi). His seven grandchildren were his pride and joy, Hannah Quaintance (m. Adam Selon), Kate Quaintance (m. Pete Godfrey), Gabriel McNinch, Nina McNinch, Nicole Ensley, Yasmin Ensley and Brett Massimi. A Zoom “Celebration of Life” will be held for family and friends at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Peter's honor to your local food bank or animal rescue - he loved his rescued dog, McGee, and cat, Posole.