Kurt Kopp

(From Parker-Millard Funeral Service)

Kurt Warner Kopp, 77, of Columbia, Missouri, passed away on April 13, 2026, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Kurt was born on February 16, 1949 in Neosho, Missouri to Warner Monford and Gisela Helga Felicitas (Haupt) Kopp.

Kurt lived many places while growing up, including several years in Marshfield, Missouri. He graduated from high school at St. John’s Academy in Winfield, Kansas. He earned his bachelor’s degrees from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri and master’s degrees in Computer Science and Library and Information Science at the University of Missouri in Columbia. 

Kurt was married to Anndee Kathryn Rebori on February 4,1972. Together they had two sons. Anndee preceded him in death in 1977.

On May 17, 1980, he married Patricia Anne McKeown in Columbia, Missouri. Together they had two daughters.

In his early twenties, Kurt spent several years working on an offshore oil exploration boat in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico before deciding to pursue a career in libraries and computer science. He worked for three years as a computer programmer at Bell Labs in New Jersey, before returning to Columbia, Missouri in 1984 to spend the rest of his career at the University of Missouri. He retired in 2011 as the Director of the Library Systems Office.

Kurt was an enthusiastic, dedicated member of the Cosmopolitan Clubs in Columbia. He served in many roles over his nearly 40 years in the Cosmopolitan Luncheon Club. He was also active at the regional and international levels, serving as president of Cosmopolitan International in 2000-2001. Working Cosmo bingo every Wednesday night was something Kurt truly loved. He highly valued the camaraderie with his Cosmo friends and the bingo players.

In his free time, Kurt loved spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren, whom he adored. His numerous hobbies included reading, traveling, cooking, stamp and coin collecting, and improving his German. In 2023, Kurt spent over a month in Germany in language immersion classes in pursuit of qualifying for German citizenship, which he successfully obtained in 2025.

Kurt is survived by his wife of 45 years, Patricia Kopp, his four children, Michael Kopp (Jessica Repa), Eric Kopp (Lorilee), Anne Kimberling (Cody) and Sarah Kopper (Neil) and his six grandchildren, Lucas, Tobin, Marlon, Greta, Harvey and Eileen.

A memorial service will be held at Parker-Millard Funeral Home in Columbia, Missouri on May 2, 2026. Visitation is at 11:00 a.m., with the service to follow at noon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to:

Cosmopolitan Diabetes Foundation, C/O Ellick Jones Law Office, 9290 West Dodge Road, Suite 303, Omaha, Nebraska 68114

or:

Daniel Boone Regional Library Foundation, P.O. Box 7113, Columbia, MO 65205

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory, 12 East Ash Street, Columbia, MO 65203 (573) 449-4153. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.millardfamilychapels.com