DAN COOPER

Dan Cooper devoted much of his life to advancing horticulture and supporting the people and organizations that made up Iowa’s horticulture community. He served as the State Horticulturist of Iowa from 1982 until his death in 1995 and was a longtime Secretary-Treasurer of the Iowa State Horticultural Society. In these roles, Dan brought together growers, educators, students, businesses, public agencies, and community organizations to strengthen horticulture throughout the state.

Throughout his career, Dan supported horticultural organizations and encouraged planting, beautification, and educational projects in communities across Iowa. He was a strong supporter of the Iowa Arboretum and contributed to its creation. As Secretary-Treasurer of the Society, he worked closely with its affiliated organizations and helped launch The Iowa Horticulturist, a magazine that served Iowa’s horticulture community for many years.

Dan was also a determined advocate for horticulture in public policy. He helped build support for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, which began as a pilot program in Iowa in 1987 and continues to connect income-eligible WIC participants and older Iowans with locally grown fruits and vegetables. His advocacy extended from pursuing directional highway signage for horticultural businesses to seeking changes in the Federal Crop Insurance Program that would better serve specialty-crop producers.

Following the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Dan conceived the idea for a Memorial Grove on the grounds of the Oklahoma State Capitol. Iowa horticulture students helped plant the grove, while the Iowa State Horticultural Society, Iowa citizens, and horticultural businesses contributed funds and resources to the project. The grove honored those who were killed while expressing Iowa’s gratitude for the assistance Oklahomans had provided following the floods of 1993.

Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad remembered Dan as “a dedicated public servant who gave generously of his time and talent to help others.” Dan’s legacy continues through the scholarship established in his name, the organizations and programs he helped strengthen, and the generations of horticulture students and professionals inspired by his service.