In Memoriam: Frederick A. Cooper
Frederick A. Cooper
1936-2011
Frederick A. Cooper, Professor of Art History, died on September 23rd, 2011, at the age of seventy-four.
Born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, Fred received his B.A. from Yale University, his M.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. After working as a civil engineer, he embarked on a career as an educator and archaeologist, specializing in Greek and Roman art. He began his academic career at the University of Pittsburgh and, after brief stints at Temple and Northwestern Universities, joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota in 1971.
Professor Cooper was an accomplished scholar and educator. The recipient of the University of Minnesota’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the Archaeology Institute of America’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the University of Minnesota’s Morse Alumni Distinguished Professor Award, and the National Endowment of the Humanities Fellowship, he inspired generations of students to pursue careers in his beloved field. Among his many publications, his 4-volume series on The Temple of Apollo Bassitas (1992 and 1996) and his Houses of the Morea: Vernacular Architecture of the Northwest Peloponnesos (2002) are recognized as classics.
In addition to his teaching and publications, Fred headed MARWP (the Minnesota Archaeological Researches in the Western Peloponnese) the University of Minnesota’s program of archaeological research in the Peloponnesos. In this capacity he excavated the Bronze Age Palace of Nestor and reconstructed the Heroon at Messene. He was also closely affiliated with the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, serving there as the Andrew F. Mellon Professor of Classical Studies from 1982 to 1985. At the time of his death he had just completed a major study of Greek architecture.
Professor Cooper is survived by his wife, Dr. Helen B. Foster, and two daughters. He will be missed by all who knew him, but always remembered as a brilliant scholar and passionate human being.
