In Memoriam: Lloyd John Cooper

1924-2011

by Howard W. Dickson, CHP

Lloyd John Cooper was born 21 April 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska. While in high school, he enjoyed playing football, tennis, track, swimming, hiking, fishing, hunting, and flying. He played in the Scottsbluff High School band and orchestra and obtained his Eagle Scout award.

He married Phyllis Anne Chadwick on 20 May 1944 in Lyman, Nebraska. John served in the U.S. Navy as a flight instructor and aerographer during World War II from May 1943 to December 1945.

John worked for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; was assistant professor of zoology at Colorado A&M College, Fort Collins; was a limnologist and radiological health advisor at the Nebraska Department of Health; was acting director of laboratories for the Nebraska Department of Civil Defense; worked for the University of California Radiation Laboratory, Health Chemistry Department, Berkeley, California; and worked as a chemist and technical coordinator. John worked for Consumers Public Power District and, for 31 years, for Nebraska Public Power District, eventually retiring as environmental manager.

John was a member of the Health Physics Society from 1961 until his passing on 18 April 2011, a span of 50 years. He held memberships in several other professional and honorary scientific associations. John also published several papers for scientific journals.