Arthur J. Coppo

Arthur Coppo, 93, passed away peacefully on December 19, after a brief stay at the Omega House in Houghton.  He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 61 years, Antoinette (Toni Turk) Coppo.  He is survived by his daughter Patricia.  Art was born prematurely and weighed under three pounds at birth.  His mother was sickly and, since he wasn’t expected to survive, the doctor told his grandmother to take him home, keep him warm and fed and maybe he’d live.  His grandmother placed him next to the wood stove in the kitchen, fed him and he thrived.  He was raised by his grandmother and Daniel Arens, the business man his grandmother kept house for in Laurium.  Art married Toni Turk, a registered nurse, and worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation.  In 1968 he and Toni opened Toni’s country kitchen in Laurium and operated the pasty shop and bakery for the next 14 years before selling the business.  Since the pasty shop was mostly a seasonal business, Art and Toni closed for several months every year and spent time in Arizona.  After they retired, they traveled around the United States and Europe.  After Toni’s passing in 2012, Art continued to live an independent life and spent winters in Arizona.  He was fortunate to share the last eight years of his life with Carole Haivala.  Art was an outgoing and friendly guy whose friends and family will miss his many stories and his sense of humor.  Here’s to “another good batch”!  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly or the Omega House.  Friends may call at the Ryan Funeral Home on Monday December 26th from 6 to 8 p.m.  with an Elks Toast at 7 pm. and Parish Prayers at 7:45 p.m.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday December 27th at 11 a.m. at the St. Paul the Apostle Church with Rev. Fr. Gracious Pulimoottil to officiate.      

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