Read Robert "Carlo" Carlo Coppo's Obituary & Leave Condolences

In memory of

Robert "Carlo" Carlo Coppo

Del Mar, CA, USA

March 31, 1938 - March 14, 2021

Mar 31, 1938 - Mar 14, 2021

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The Quintessential Renaissance Man ~ After almost 83 years of being the most interesting man in the room, Robert Carlo Coppo passed away, with family at his side, on March 14th, 2021.

Bobby Coppo was born in Wineville, California, and grew up in Riverside where he loved to read Shazam! comics and listen to comedians on the radio with his sister Joanie. He was fiercely proud of his Italian Heritage and later in life became a dual citizen. Bob attended the University of California Riverside, from 1955 to 1957, and received his A.B. from U.C. Berkeley in June 1960, with a major in Political Science. He then attended Stanford University School of Law on an accelerated program beginning September 1960, receiving his LL.B. in December of 1962. He was admitted to the California Bar in June of 1963.

When Bob moved to Del Mar in 1977, he became Carlo, and he loved to take daily swims in the ocean off of 17th street - something he did rain or shine without a wetsuit until just before his passing. He was truly a Renaissance man: an accomplished trial attorney, an award-winning photographer, an avid runner and swimmer, a writer, an actor, and even a member of the Screen Actors’ Guild. In his later years, he was a member of the Script-in-Hand Players, bringing stand-up comedy to residents of Assisted Living Centers throughout San Diego County. After decades of trying, he recently realized his vision of transforming his LA Times article about the death of Comedian Dick Shawn into an award-winning short film. The film, "Leave 'Em Laughing" was a deeply personal project that united his love of performance, with the complex questions of existence. For Carlo, all the world was indeed a stage.

Carlo’s driving passion was writing poetry and short stories, and photography. Over the last 8 years, he was quietly, diligently working on a book that combined his prose and images in a way that was quintessential Carlo. The collection was to be titled, "Liquid I," which is the name Carlo gave to all of his creative endeavors. Liquid I beautifully summed up the free-flowing nature of his art. Carlo was also an eclectic collector of literature including many first editions with a focus on the classics and the Parisian expatriates. His favorite was, as we all know, was the one and only F. Scott Fitzgerald. Even in his final days, Carlo was able to recite the first two pages and last two pages of "The Great Gatsby" from memory. To honor his memory, we hope you all take a moment to read those pages and think of Carlo.

Most importantly, Carlo was the loving patriarch of his family. He was an extremely proud father to daughter Jennifer Coppo Grove and son Rob Coppo, and a doting grandfather to Tyler, Kyra, and Lauren Grove, and Nicolas and Charlotte Coppo.

Through all of the lives he touched, his sharp wit, keen intellect, boundless generosity, and deep love for his friends and family will ceaselessly beat on into the future.

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