Cloudy, 26° F
(March 15, 2003)
Janet Leigh Kopriva, 43-year-old wife of local artist Mike Kopriva, died Saturday, March 15 in Mountain View, Ark., where she was visiting her mother.
She was born Sept. 18, 1959, in Casper and was raised there, graduating from Kelly Walsh High School. She went on to earn a nursing degree from Casper College.
She was a Registered Nurse for 16 years. The family is comforted in the knowledge she used her special nursing abilities to help so many people throughout her career.
Since 1997, she had been employed by the Powell Senior Center as case manager for Adult Home Care of Park County.
She had many skills, including professional floral design, crafts, playing the piano and writing. She was active in outdoor activities, including backpacking, cross country skiing, sea kayaking, snorkeling and mountain biking. She was an experienced caver and member of the National Spelelogical Society. She would often go camping with her husband and friends in her favorite Pryor Mountains of southern Montana.
Survivors include her husband Mike Kopriva of Powell; her mother and step-father, Marcia and Harry Patterson of Mountain View, Ark.; two brothers, Mike Smith of Lavaca, Ark., and Todd Smith of Casper; and four nieces.
She was preceded in death by her father, Wendell Smith, in December of 1982.
A private memorial service will be held for friends and family at a later date. Cremation has taken place.
