1916 – 2003

FAIR OAKS, Calif. – Caroline J. (Tupper) Cropper, 85, of Fair Oaks, Calif., passed away on April 4, in her home.

She was born in Durham, on April 12 , 1916, the seventh of 10 children and daughter of Rev. Ernest H. and Sarah A. Mitchell Tupper. She started playing the piano at age 7 and became quite accomplished playing professionally as well as for her church and in other civic situations. In recent years she played the musical accompaniment for the children’s Repertory Theater of Fair Oaks.

In addition to the piano, she played the harp and pipe organ.

As a teenager, she and her sisters worked as waitresses in the fine dining rooms of luxury hotels in New England, Virginia, and Florida. Her working career began as a stenographer with the Bridge Department of California Division of Highways.

She advanced steadily to the position of private secretary to three different Directors of public works. She was also Executive Secretary to the Governor’s Legislative Secretary under Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown and then Supervisor in Caltrans for the largest clerical pool in California State Government.

Since her retirement from Caltrans, she occupied herself with golf at North Ridge Country Club, bridge, and travel. She was born with sand in her shoes and made trips to Europe, Israel, Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, and many mainland destinations.

She is survived by her husband, John R. Cropper of Fair Oaks, CA; her two brothers, Lionel W. Tupper and his wife Madelyn of Lisbon Falls, and Jackson A. Tupper and his wife Alice of Durham; her sister, Mrs. Louisa Hahn of Virginia; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her first husband, Leon L. Dunning; her parents; her brothers, Nathan and Ernest; and her sisters, Lucy Tupper, Aura Sweet, Rose Aldrich and Hazel Gould.